


A Song of Hunger and Thrones

by TheChuckles



Series: Fire Melts Snow [1]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV), The Hunger Games (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Combined Fandoms, Death, Game of Thrones characters, I'm not as evil as George R.R. Martin don't worry, Loose GoT story connections, Lots of Snows, Only two, Other, Rebellion, just kidding, the hunger games - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-06
Updated: 2016-06-19
Packaged: 2018-04-03 02:23:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 20
Words: 43,468
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4083037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheChuckles/pseuds/TheChuckles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ned Stark's rebellion against the evil President Snow fails horribly after his bastard son Jon Snow is captured. Ned's family and friends are forcefully gathered in the Capitol to hold trial when Ned bravely demands Trial By Combat. President Snow invents The Hunger Games as a way to kill off all of his political rivals while making an example out of the rebels by airing the Games on national television. But there are some twists. President Snow declares that if the last remaining survivors have the same family name, they will all win The Hunger Games, be pardoned, and return home. But that won't happen, he vows. To increase the stakes, he throws in some of the Capitol's most vicious criminals such as Ramsay Bolton and The Hound Sandor Clegane to make things interesting. Told through several POV's, read on to find out how/if Ned Stark and his allies can survive The Hunger Games!<br/>~TheChuckles</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Risky Business

**Jon Snow**

Jon Snow awoke in a darkly lit prison cell deep below the President's Mansion in the center of the Capitol. The only light came from the hallway, shining in through the small door window. The icy cold cement floor sucked all the warmth that his body could generate. President Snow had been very specific when he commanded that no prisoner that was of the Night's Watch was to have any comforts in their cells. The guards, Capitol loyalists, had been happy to oblige to the good President's orders.

The last two weeks had left Jon Snow plenty of time to ponder his actions. If only his mentor and former Lord Commander, Jeor Mormont, wouldn't have died, the assassination plot would have went off without a hitch. The Old Bear wouldn't have missed with a bow and arrow, not ever. But Jon Snow did. The damn thing had lodged in the wall inches from President Snow's head. The rest of the Night's Watch that had stormed the mansion under the presumption that President Snow was dead. They were quickly outnumbered and slaughtered. Only three of the party survived. Jon Snow, Samwell Tarly and Alliser Thorne. The rest were butchered. The remaining Night's Watch were hidden somewhere in District 2, deep in the mountains.

Jon Snow thought about his family for the millionth time. He wondered how his father, the now-famous rebel Ned Stark, was taking his bastard son's capture. Before Ned married Catelyn, he had a brief relationship with a nameless women that bore him Jon. Jon briefly recalled how, when Ned Stark was in the President's favor, he had made his last name Snow to please him. He knew his father was still in District 13 with most of the family and the war counsel. His half brothers Robb, Brandon and Rickon Stark were there as well as his half-sisters Sansa and Ary Stark. His step-mother Catelyn Stark was somewhere deep in District 7 with Brienne making an alliance with Mayor Stannis Baratheon.

Meanwhile back in District 13, his dad was surely working out what to do next. Surely Jaime Lannister, Renly Baratheon, Oberyn Martell and Jorah Mormont were all with him. The grand plan was to have the Night's Watch sneak into the Capitol and assassinate the President. Once that deed was done, Ned would set up a small council until the rightful presidential family, the Targaryens, could resume power under the oldest of them, Viserys. It was a rebellion against President Snow and his evil regime that took years of planning. And Jon had messed it all up by missing his one chance to kill his biggest enemy.

** Ned Stark  **

"They have my _son_!" Ned Stark yelled over his council, stunning them into silence. His usual calm facade had now faded away in light of recent events. "You all sit here and bicker about meaningless garbage while the Capitol has my son captive! The Night's Watch failed, in case you've forgotten, which means that we're now vulnerable."

"We are not vulnerable, Lord Stark." Renly Baratheon spoke in his charming voice. "The Martells in District 4 and Targaryen Loyalists in District 8 have been keeping the Capitol armies at bay. Once my brother begrudgingly comes over to our side, we will have the absolute means to crush the Capitol."

"Renly speaks the truth, Lord Stark." The sly Oberyn Martell called from across the table. "The failure of the Night's Watch is merely a setback. You forget that we still have the wilding northern tribes on our side. We can sneak several units into the capital to rescue them if need be."

"We already have one unit deep undercover." Jaime Lannister said, brushing a lock of golden blond hair out of his eye. It was a wonder that he and his dwarf brother Tyrion had even joined Ned's cause, Ned thought bitterly. Their father, the famed Tywin Lannister, was busy in District 10 crushing the Greyjoy rebels. Unfortunately, much of the Lannister strength had stayed with him.

"You're all right. I'm sorry for my outburst." Ned apologized awkwardly. He was known for being quiet and decisive, not short tempered. "We have other matters to discuss. Jorah Mormont's talks with the Tyrell's have fallen apart, i'm afraid. They will remain neutral in District 11."

"No matter," Oberyn said, "The Tyrells harbor a second rate army compared to the famed fighters of District 4."

"Either way, they would have been of great use in securing the rest of the districts." Jaime concluded. "Sad to say, but they are firmly in my father's pocket."

Renly snorted. "We have the power of the Greyjoys in 10, the Martells in 4, the Starks in 12, with my brother to soon give us the Baratheon armies. The Targaryen loyalists in 8 are with us as well. Might I remind you all that the remaining Night's Watch still hold power in District 2. We have control of 6 districts, let the Tyrells cower in their fields of grain."

"Very well. Thank you all for your counsel. I'm turning in for the night, my friends. We shall meet first thing tomorrow morning." Ned Stark arose from the oval table holding the small of his back. He silently cursed old age as he exited the dark war room. The drab grey underground complex of District 13 felt like a prison for Ned. He prefered the crisp forest and coal smell of District 12, but it wasn't safe there anymore. When Ned first defied President Snow a couple months back, his first action was to launch an offensive on District 12. Ned and his family fled to District 13 while the bulk of his army stayed and fought.

Ned's living quarters were the same as everybody else's, small drab grey rooms with minimal furniture. Dim fluorescent lights cast an unforgiving glow over everything in District 13. Ned laid down in his bed exhausted. He looked to his left, knowing that his wife Catelyn was halfway across the country on a political mission that he should have taken instead of her.

** Catelyn Stark **

The thick pine forests of District 7 reminded Catelyn Stark of her home at the Mayor's mansion in 12. When her husband Ned had taken office many years ago, she had pleaded with him to rebuild the mansion closer to the forests. Instead he built her a large house on the edge of the forest with access to a freshwater lake. _Her sweet Ned_ , she thought longfully.

But she was not in District 12. She had been smuggled into a strange land with only Brienne to keep her safe from harm. Her sworn guard, Brienne was a towering mass of a women. She stood nearly at seven feet, clad in rags like Catelyn herself. They had to blend in with the people of District 7, after all. She only hoped that her fast approaching meeting with Stannis Baratheon proved of some merit. What a shame it would be if Brienne and her had endured such a perilous journey across the districts to get snubbed.

Catelyn and Brienne passed several ragtag lumber camps along the worn mud path into town. Burly men in sweat drenched plaid shirts worked on chopping down enormous trees. If Stannis didn't follow the laws set forth by the Capitol absolutely, these men would have surely paid more attention to two women walking through their camps alone and presumably unarmed. Cat had a sharp knife wedged into her glove and a pistol in her boot in case of emergency.

It seemed like long, dragging hours hiking through the forest before Cat finally set her eyes on the sprawling town at the center of the district. Most of the buildings were made out of wood, she noted. Roughly made log cabins. Although Catelyn was concerned about the possible spread of fire, the log cabins seemed better than the concrete apartments in District 8. Those were the most horrible living conditions she had ever faced.

"Do you think that we will be able to hold audience with the Mayor Baratheon tonight, Lady Stark?" Brienne asked between huffs of breath as they entered the town.

"Most certainly not. Stannis Baratheon is perhaps the most honest man in all of Panem. He would never hold audience with the wife of a traitor. No, we'll have to lie to get inside the mansion. And Brienne?"

"Yes, my Lady?"

"You don't have to call me Lady Stark. Just because my husband prefers to be called Lord Stark does not mean I am to be called Lady Stark, understood? Especially not here."

"Sorry." Brienne said sheepishly. The faintest smattering of a blush appeared on her chalk white face. Although she could be quite shy during conversation, Brienne was renowned for her ability to kill in combat.

"You've been forgiven, Brienne. Now, let us find this man Bronn that Ned said is working for us. He'll certainly give us room and board until we can speak with Stannis."

Next Time: Cat and Brienne work towards a meeting with Stannis, Ned teaches Daenerys, the Greyjoys hold off the Lannister army in District 10, and a rescue mission in the Capitol is put together. 


	2. The Snows of Change

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All of the pieces of Ned's master plan begin to fall into place, but a bitter rival already watches every move he makes.

** Daenerys Targaryen **

Daenerys missed her old home in District 1. Her home there had been lavish and extravagant, even so more than the rest of the district. She and her older brother Viserys had lived in Illyrio Mopatis's mansion since as long as she could remember. Once upon a time she even believed that Illyrio was her father, but when she asked her brother about it she got a long lecture and a slap as an answer.

"We are blood of the dragon, little sister!" Viserys had said in his superior, menacing tone. "That pretender Snow had our father killed to gain power when were were infants! Our father was the greatest in a long line of presidents with the name Targaryen. Illyrio, it seems, is the last man loyal to our dead father!"

That was several years ago. Illyrio was not in fact the last Targaryen supporter, she learned, when Ned Stark learned that her brother and her still lived. Until very recently, they had lived with the Starks in District 12. Now, they resided in the stuffy grey catacombs of District 13. Viserys hated it here as much as she did. That's why he spends most of this time hunting the forests above with Robb Stark under the supervision of Jaime Lannister. Dany wasn't allowed above ground nearly as often as her brother was, because she was still only a girl of 15.

Dany always found herself bored no matter where she went down in 13. The cafeteria served plain food that she had no taste for. She tried to attend the meager school system they had. The teachers were stiff and boring and all they taught was boring history. Dany didn't care about civilizations that had died off hundreds of years ago. They were all dead anyways. _Just like her father._

Dany would have liked to be around her half-sisters Sansa and Arya more, but they spent most of their days following the inky schedules printed on their arms. Ned Stark promised Dany and her brother that they didn't have to follow the schedules if they didn't want to.

"Daenerys?" A familiar voice called, accompanied by a short series of knocks on her door. Dany's head perked up at the sound. She knew who it was.

"Come in!" She called happily. A visit from Ned Stark these days was always a special affair. He was often times too busy with business to visit Dany or any of his children. At first, she thought that he was simply ignoring her, but a visit from Sansa confirmed that he hadn't talked with his own children nearly as often as he was supposed to.

Mr. Stark was greeted with a running hug from Dany as soon as he opened the door. The force of her hug sent them both into the hallway giggling.

"It's nice to see you too." Ned said smiling at Daenerys. They returned to her room, Ned shutting the door on his way in.

"Why are you here? Did you bring me something?" Dany asked with glee. She missed the days in District 12 when Ned would come home from work with gifts for all of his children.

"I'm sorry, but I didn't have time to bring you a gift. Although next time i'll be sure to bring some colored pencils and sketch paper." If anybody knew of Dany's love for drawing, it was Ned. "But I came here to ask you to do something, Daenerys."

Dany was confused. "Ask me to do what?"

"You see, some of my collegues on the coucil feel that some of the districts are losing hope in our rebellion. They want you to go down to the studios and start shooting some propoganda, since you are one of the two remaining Targaryens left in this world. You and Viserys are the endgame. You'll eventuaully end up running the country. The tech team are calling them propos for whatever reason."

Dany had always been self concious of her appearance, no doubt due to the nasty comments Viserys would make of her when he was angry. "What would I be doing in these propos?"

"Just reading the script that they give you. Perhaps you would act out a scene. I honestly don't know. What do you say?"

"I'm not sure, Mr. Stark. What if i'm not good enough?"

Ned put his hand on her shoulder. "Daenerys, you'll be perfect. I know it. Your brother Viserys will be there with you as well. You don't have to do it if you don't want to, but won't it be better than sitting in your room all day?"

 _It would be better_ , Dany decided.

** Theon Greyjoy **

Greyjoys aren't supposed to fight on the land, Theon thought glumly as the Lannister army dropped another bomb on their underground fortress. The force of the explosive rattled the entire complex. Dust fell from the ceiling in waves. Theon missed his home on the Greyjoy fortress island located in the middle of the lake that was once called Lake Michigan. He missed the sound of lapping water on the shores. He missed the view from his room; miles and miles of water in either direction.

"Isn't there something we can do, sister?" Theon asked his older sister Asha, who was huddled next to him on the floor.

"We can't send out any hovercraft without giving away where they are located. They'd all be destroyed within seconds, and the Lannister scum would storm our base. We'd be overtaken within the hour."

"Damn them!" Theon cursed, kicking at the wall. "When this is over, i'm going to rip out Tywin Lannister's heart myself!"

Asha Greyjoy brushed a stray lock of Theon's curly brown hair out of his eye. "We will drown him in the lake. Father would enjoy that very much."

"Father enjoys many things, but he never takes them himself. He always sends others to do his bidding."

"I'm afraid that's what comes with old age." Asha said, "If he could be, he'd be here right now getting ready for a counter-strike once the bombing was over."

"Why did he have to send us though? Why not Uncle Victarion or Euron?" Theon whined.

"You damn sure know why. Uncle Victarion is harassing the Capitol forces on the west coast, and Euron is putting down rebellion in the northern part of the district. We are the only Greyjoys in a thousand miles. He believes in us to get the job done, and god damn it we will!" Asha unclipped her handheld radio from her belt. "Any commanders still alive and able, meet in the war room now."

Theon watched as his sister stood up and unlocked the doors on either side of the room. She pushed her dark brown hair behind her ears and took a deep breath.

"What are you doing?" Theon asked, slowly standing up.

"Fighting back." His sister replied. Within ten mintues eight rugged looking men entered the war room. They didn't bother to take a seat. "Listen up!" Asha yelled, "The Lannisters outside think that we're broken. That we're cowering behind our walls and letting them beat the fuck out of us! Are we going to give in to their puny army?"

"NO!" The men yelled.

"Then come with me now into battle! Gather whatever men you can and form up at the hangar. We will launch our hovercrafts as a diversion. We wait in the dark corners of the hangar as the enemy falls through the open air. Disable the ladders and the stairs, make them jump twenty feet to engage us in open combat!"

** Catelyn **

Ned had told Catelyn that this man Bronn was told to look for a giant women clad in grey and black armor, accompanied by a much smaller women wearing a crimson red cloak. Both her and Brienne had changed into the proper attire in the woods near the town. Catelyn personally hated the color crimson, and all forms of red in general, but she needed this man to get to Stannis. Ned told her that he was one of Stannis's personal guard.

Walking through the muddy streets dressed as they were, Brienne and Catelyn got plenty of unwanted attention.

"This is horrible." Brienne muttered under her breath, clearly in distress. The armor that Ned had given here was too small. She looked pretty ridiculous. Cat did her best to stiffle a laugh. 

"I know, trust me Brienne, I know. With the amount of attention we're gathering, this man Bronn will surely see us within the hour." Catelyn said, reassuring Brienne of their purpose. She didn't need Brienne to back out of this mission so late in the game.

True to Catelyn's word, a man with greasy long black hair and a small smattering of facial stubble approached them near a sketchy looking bar. He reminded her of a worn out piece of leather left in the sun to bake.

"Strange thing to see two beautiful ladies wandering 'round these parts so late in the day. What brings you here?" The man, presumably Bronn, asked in a northern accent.

"A meeting with the man they call Bronn. My husband knows him." Catelyn said, hoping that if this was in fact not their man, that she hadn't given away too much.

"You happen to be talking to him, Mrs. Stark." Bronn said with a wink. Catelyn let out a huge breath in relief. "Let's get you two ladies indoors. It's about to rain soon." Bronn led them through the beaten up muddy roads to the better side of town, where the buildings were made of cement and road of cobblestone. They took several twists and turns until Cat was easily lost in the maze of buildings.

Bronn finally reached a decent looking two-story house that he called his own. He unlocked the door and escorted the ladies inside. The house smelled of liqour, Cat's nose detected. It seemed like Bronn liked to enjoy the occasional vodka. Most of the house looked decent, except for a small hole in a wall on the far side.

"Now, tell me Bronn, how exactly are we arranging this meeting with Stannis Baratheon?" Catelyn asked as she sat down on a rugged old couch. Brienne followed suit.

"Well, m'lady." Bronn grabbed a bottle of booze from the refrigerator. "I've told him that a political envoy from the Capitol will be arriving anyday now. We both know that's not true. Once you get to him, you say what you will, convince him to join us or not. I'll claim that you had all of the official paperwork and completely fooled me."

"Sounds easy enough." Brienne said, warming her hands by the fire.

Bronn chuckled. "No offense, but you've never talked to Stannis Baratheon."

**Ygritte **

Ygritte couldn't believe how little clothing the people in the Capitol wore. From where she was from, in the endless winter forests in what was once known as Canada, a women wouldn't be caught dead with her shoulders bare in the blazing cold. But it wasn't blazing cold here. The weather was the warmest that Ygritte had ever experienced.

"I don't know how we're supposed to fit in with this fucking lot." Tormund Giantsbane spat. He was the man in charge of the small pack of wildings that had snuck inside the Capitol. With his greasy orange hair and gigantic orange beard, he stuck out like a sore thumb in this strange city.

"We have to adapt." Ygritte said as she took a quick count of her arrows. "Maybe you should braid that birds nest you call a beard. Shave one side of your head bald as a baby. Take a shower, perhaps."

Tormund grunted. "Look at you, sweetness, talking all southern and everything. Take a shower? Are you kidding me? Where we're from we bathe in creeks colder than these pansies will ever experience." Suddenly he stepped close to Ygritte, until he towered over her. "Or have you forgotten?"

"Just a suggestion, jackass." Ygritte said to break the tension. She turned away from him to peer out of the window at the people strutting around the candy colored streets below. "If you take one step out of that door looking like you do now, President Snow himself could probably spot you from his fancy mansion."

"Who said anything about going out on the streets? Rumor has it that the tunnels below this stinking pile of glitter can lead us right to where we need to be. We could sneak in, break the crows out of prison, and be out of the city by this time tomorrow."

"And so we shall." Ygritte said in response.

** President Snow **

President Snow watched the wild savages conversing in an apartment building near the outskirts of town in the safety of his private suite. He switched back and forth between camera angles, trying to judge how large the man's beard was. _Impressive_ , thought the good president as he stroked his own fluffy white beard.

Snow turned to another monitor, where security cameras from an underground base in District 10 showed the Greyjoy rebels preparing an attack on Tywin Lannister's famed army. _Fools_ , he thought with a smile. Entertaining fools though. That's precisely the reason he ordered Tywin to bring the Greyjoys back to the Capitol alive. The president had a devious plan on how to punish Ned Stark's rebels once he gathered them all in the Capitol.    

Once he had Asha and Theon Greyjoy, Balon would swear feality to him to gain his last two children back. Once Catelyn Stark and Stannis Baratheon in District 7 were in his custody, Ned and Renly would flock to the Capitol for trial. Snow would demand the rest of his high ranking rebels. The Lannister boys that defied their father. The sly Oberyn Martell. The rest of the Stark children. The Targaryen whelps. They would all be his.

President Snow had ordered the building of a massive arena in the definite event that Ned Stark would call for a Trial By Combat. He will have his trial, but not against one man or woman. No, against 23. Ned Stark, that traitor, will know what it is like to be scared. He will know what it is like to see his family killed in front of his eyes. He will know what it is like to be broadcast on national television as he kills his closest allies. He will know what it is like to be hungry.

 _Hungry. Perhaps I shall call it The Hunger Games,_ thought the wise president with an evil smirk. How fitting.

Next Time: President Snow's forces converge on several locations, where he meets some bitter resistance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second chapter done! The pieces are starting to fall into place for the Games! Tell me what you think of my fanfic so far, i'm open to suggestions!!!  
> ~TheChuckles


	3. Ours Is The Fury

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Catelyn, Theon, and Ned face difficult decisions in the face of adversity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That was some season finale on GoT, wasn't it? I'm not sure if i'm more angry or astonished by it. Sound off in the comments on how you feel about the finale!  
> ~TheChuckles

** Theon **

A force of nearly 1,000 soldiers watched in anticipation as the big hangar doors on the ceiling opened. Sunlight poured in, casting bright white light throughout the dark space. The small fleet of hovercrafts began to rise above ground when the grenades started falling. Thanks to Asha's plan, the grenades got caught on the hovercrafts. Just when they were above ground did the grenades go off. The screams of Lannister men above could be heard over the explosion.

Theon cringed in the far back of the hangar, near the exit. Asha instructed him to make for their personal hovercraft located on the far side of the underground base.

"One of us needs to live, and it's gonna be you!" She had said right before she assembled the army in the hangar.

Although Theon came from the fortress his father liked to call The Iron Island, he had no taste for warfare. The sight of blood made him queasy, but he tried his best to hide that.

If father knew, he would force him to get used to it. Balon Greyjoy was stubborn like that. Now that the explosions cleared, enemy soldiers began jumping down to engage the Greyjoy force. The fall was too big, Theon thought as men crashed onto flaming pieces of hovercraft and hard cement floors. Legs, skulls and entire bodies exploded on the ground like watermelons. Soon a good portion of the floor was covered in blood.

The rain of men stopped suddenly, after about 30 or so died. A score of grenade looking objects were thrown into the hangar. Some exploded, while the rest emitted white smoke. The Greyjoy forces nearest the flash-bangs were stunned, while the rest were blinded by the smoke. Theon still had control over all of his senses, since he was farthest away from the detonation site of the explosives.

The thick smoke dissipated slowly. When it cleared, Theon thought he could see several ropes being thrown down from above. His sight was confirmed when men began to slide down the ropes, firing rapidly at anything that moved.

"Open fire!" Asha screamed. The Greyjoy army began to gun down the Lannister men as they descended into the hangar. It's a damn massacre, Theon thought bitterly. He didn't know if he should be insanely happy or throw up. His stomach won out, because a few moments later Theon's small lunch made a reappearance all over the floor.

Theon wiped his mouth, trying to clear his head. They were winning, he thought happily. He rubbed his forehead in a vain attempt to deter the headache that was already forming due to the gunfire.

A loud crash close to him only made it worse, but the strange thing was that it didn't sound like gunfire. Wearily, Theon turned his head to investigate. The door he had been waiting by was now torn off its hinges as men with the lion of Lannister stitched onto their shoulder. Theon gasped in disbelief.

"Shoot them!" Theon yelled as he fumbled for his own pistol. The army around him took too long to respond. By the time they realized what was going on, they were being attacked on two fronts. With several guns aiming at the back and not at the hangar entrance, more enemies poured in unmolested.

Suddenly, Theon felt somebody grab his arm roughly. He aimed his pistol behind him, but it was slapped out of his hand by another strong hand. The owner of those hands was a tall man in regal crimson red armor. Theon noted the stern expression on his face, along with the wispy golden hair on his balding head.

"Theon Greyjoy." The man said in a deep voice. Theon knew who it was.

"Tywin Lannister." Theon said, knowing they were defeated.

** Catelyn **

The Mayor's mansion did not fit in with the rest of what Catelyn had seen of District 7. It was a huge expanse of brick and white marble, with high brick fences surrounding the perimeter and a roof comprised of cream colored shingles dotted with little chimneys. The mansion grounds took up one whole side of the town square.

Catelyn had been used to such grandeur since she was a young girl. Having the last name Tully meant that she was the daughter of Mayor Hoster Tully of District 6. She accompanied him when he visited with the Targaryen presidents in the Capitol and around the surrounding districts, an opportunity very few ever get.

Brienne, on the other hand, had been raised the daughter of a servant family to the Starks in the poorest district. She was amazed at the beauty of the building.

"Just look at that, Mrs. Stark! I've never seen anything half as beautiful as this." Brienne said in an awestruck voice. Catelyn smiled warmly.

"It is a beautiful manor, but i'm afraid that there are dozens in the Capitol that put this one to shame. Perhaps when we oust Snow from power, i'll take you on a tour."

"Really? You would do that?" Brienne's face lit up.

"Of course, Brienne. You've been an excellent protector, a loyal servant, and a good friend."

"You ladies might want to stop talking now." Bronn said bluntly from in front of them. "There are ears everywhere in the mansion."

"Thank you for reminding us, Bronn." Catelyn said coldly. Yes, Bronn had provided them with a hot meal and a bed for the night, but Bronn himself was getting on Cat's nerves. How did Stannis deal with such a person guarding him day and night?

Bronn opened a black barred gate that towered above the three of them. Inside the fences, a lavish garden was layed out. Cobblestone pathways connected the various patches of flowers and plants like a system of roads. From Cat's point of view, it appeared that the garden snaked around the entire mansion inside the fences.

"Don't let the beauty get to your head." Bronn mused. "You have work to do." With that, Bronn led them up a set of stone stair inside the mansion. Like the front, it was extravagently laid out. Much more so than Ned's humble mansion back in District 12. Catelyn was almost jealous for a moment, but then she realized that the man who lived here did not enjoy it at all.

"Remember, I know nothing." Bronn smiled, opening an ornate wooden door. He ushered Catelyn and Brienne through, and there, sitting at his desk, was the most stubborn man in the country of Panem. Stannis Baratheon, sifting through a stack of papers like he was meant to do it. His head was balding, that rich coal black hair fading into grey.

Without missing a beat, he addressed Cat and Brienne. "My guard tells me you are from the Capitol with important news from President Snow." He looked up from his papers, easily the sternest face cat had ever seen. She definitely had her work cut out for her.

"I'm afraid your man has been mislead." Brienne said. "Mayor Stannis Baratheon, you have the honor of Catelyn Stark's presence."

That got Stannis's attention. The look on his face went from painfully stern to angry, a difference Catelyn could barely note.

"What is this folly?!" He arose from his desk. "You mean to tell me that you _dare_ enter my district and presume to speak with me when you are a known traitor to the country? Do you know how disastrous your husband's little rebellion has been for my district? People going hungry. Women and children dying in the streets and I cannot do anything to stop it because I do not have the resources to do so! What is stopping me from arresting you traitors right now and handing you over to President Snow?!"

Catelyn quickly realized that all of the courtesies she had planned were to have no effect on Stannis. She dove deep into the verbal chess match that had just started. "You say that your people are starving? I walked through your streets and you know what I saw? A district that has not been affected by this rebellion at all! Do you wish to see what's going on in District 12, Mayor? I can show you starving people."

"It appears that we have a different definition of starving. All the land under my authority was thriving before Ned Stark withdrew District 12 from the Capitol's authority and launched his rebellion for personal gain. And you may be right, my lands haven't been as ravaged as some of the others, but that does not mean you can presume to compare my district to one that's famous for it's poverty. I know why you're here, Lady Stark. And my answer is no. I will not plunge my hands into the filthy rebellion that your wretched family has started. It is not right."

"You know what's not right, Stannis? The Capitol works all 13 of its districts like slaves and reaps all of the profit. The mere fact that anybody has to starve is due to the greed of the man you serve so loyally! I give you this ultimatum: Help my husband crush the Capitol quickly or sit back and watch your district crumble under the thralls of starvation. Think about your family, you bitter man! Your wife Selyse, your daughter Shireen, your nephew Joffrey, they don't deserve to go through this!"

"I am thinking about my family! You really want me to pledge my allegiance to a rebel and risk the lives of my entire family? Just because you have my idiot younger brother with you doesn't mean i'll fold as easily as him. My answer is no, I will not partake in this treason. Leave my district by dusk, or you will be arrested and shipped off to the Capitol."

Catelyn tightened her jaw in frustration. She had not come all this way to be told no, but she knew that Stannis would in fact have her and Brienne arrested if they did not leave. She tried to think of some clever last words, a last ditch effort to perhaps persuade Stannis to hear her out.

"I-" is exactly how far she got, because the door was abruptly kicked open behind her. She and Brienne turned to see a dozen peacekeepers flood into the room. Brienne drew her gun and threatened to open fire, but Cat knew it was hopeless. They would gun them down before she even got a shot off.

"I didn't know the legendary Stannis Baratheon would stoop to such a level." Catelyn said. She pulled the dagger from her sleeve and the pistol from her boot and dropped them on the ground loudly. Thoughts of Capitol torture flooded her brain.

Another peacekeeper entered the room, a grizzled looking old man without a helmet on. Cat figured he was their commander.

"The Mayor had nothing to do with this, Mrs. Stark." The commander addressed his men, "Take Catelyn Stark and Stannis Baratheon under arrest, along with the other one."

Stannis flared in outrage. "You're arresting me? On what charges?!"

"Conspiring with the enemy."

** Ned **

"My lord, somebody is trying to contact us!" Renly Baratheon announced from across the control room. "The techs are saying it's from the Capitol, who could it be?"

"Perhaps the wilding rescue party with good news?" Ned said, even though he feared that it was the complete opposite. The wildings had no idea how to work Capitol technology. This was almost definitely from President Snow.

"It could be, sir, but--" Renly started. Ned cut him off. "Put the caller on. Give me video feed as well."

Within moments, Ned Stark was staring into the beady eyes of President Snow, the very man he was trying to usurp.

"What do you want?" Ned asked with a raspy tone. _Had he murdered his son Jon? Was he here to gloat? Peace negotiations?_

"I have to admit Ned, you really had this whole thing planned out well. It's a real pity that it has crumbled in front of your very eyes. You sent your bastard son to murder me, but yet I still live. You persuaded the Greyjoys to rebel with you, but now I have Theon and Asha captive. You send your wife to negotiate with Stannis Baratheon, and now I have them both in my custody." Snow smirked an evil smirk. "This whole thing has played out brilliantly for me."

Ned was dumbfounded. Snow had found out about Catelyn. No, no, this wasn't supposed to happen! He knew he shouldn't have risked her life by sending her away, and now it was too late.

"Here's what I want from you, Eddard. I will be sending a train to your ashtray of a district, District 12. You will load that train with your entire remaining family, along with the traitors on your council. I will even name them. Oberyn Martell, Renly Baratheon, Jaime and Tyrion Lannister, and Jorah Mormont. You will also bring the two Targaryen whelps that you thought I didn't know about. None of you are permitted weapons, and my people will be sure to check. You will be brought to the Capitol to answer for your crimes against the country. Fail to do this, and your wife and son will die in the cruelest way imaginable. Do you accept?"

"Yes." Ned whispered, defeated.

Next Time: President Snow perfects his plan, Ned assesses his situation, Catelyn and Jon Snow are reunited, but not for long ;)


	4. Stronger Than Fear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ned fills in his family and friends on the current situation, while President Snow works to make his pet project even more deadly.

** The President **

President Snow was immensely proud of himself. He had managed to make the mighty and all powerful Ned Stark bow before him without hardly even lifting a finger. Even a stubborn bastard like Stark would conform to his demands when he threatened the lives of his beloved wife and bastard son. What Stark didn't know, though, was that the President had also captured Stannis's nephew Joffrey and that oaf of a women Brienne. The pieces to his revenge against Ned were slowly falling into place.

One of his bothersome guards snapped him out of his thoughts. "Are you sure you want to go into the cell alone, Mr. President?"

"I didn't ask you to show me where their cell was to just stare at it." Sometimes, Snow thought he should get rid of all of the mindless losers that made up his household guard. Replace them all with intelligent and interesting people. Alas, the last time he tried to do that, Ned Stark got the idea to rebel against his authority. _No, he had to surround himself with idiots for his own protection._

"Okay." The guard said uncertainly. He swiped a key card in front of a sensor, which opened the door. Inside, two very different men sat at opposite ends of a metal table. Both were handcuffed to their chairs, which were bolted to the floor. The one on the left was a small, greasy boy with snake like eyes and a face that reminded Snow of the devil. On the right was a hulking stud of a man, half of his face burned and swollen red. Grungy brown hair hung in his murderous eyes.

"Gentlemen, let me just get down to business." The president said as he closed the door. "I have a proposition for both of you. One I think you'll like very much." Neither criminal said anything, although both were intently staring at the groomed old man in front of them. The one on the left thought of how his crimson velvet suit looked very much like a giant bloodstain. The other disliked his choice of clothing because the color red reminded him of fire, and he was deathly afraid of fire.

"Sandor Clegane, also known as The Hound, notorious serial killer, and Ramsay Bolton, known around the Capitol for your signature flayed victims. Both of you are the underbelly of society, but yet I stand here in need of both of you, the most powerful man alive. The irony. You see, very soon there will be a grand trial by combat that I have to schedule. I'm calling it the Hunger Games. 24 traitors enter a vast arena stockpiled with deadly weapons, and fight until there is only one left. The winner will get riches and glory beyond comprehension. And a royal pardon, if it interests them."

That caught their attention, the President noted. "You would really do that?" The Hound asked doubtfully. "You'd risk letting one of us back onto your pretty rainbow streets? I don't believe it."

"Well, you don't have to, my murderous friend. All I want from you two is to willingly participate in my Games. You will be given complete freedom to kill whoever you want in there, however you want. I thought that you two would enjoy such an affair, based on your histories. What do you say, gentlemen?"

Ramsay spoke first. "Who are these traitors? The gossip in the dungeons is terribly stale."

"Eddard Stark and his brood, along with a couple terrorists, the Lannister brothers, the last two Targaryens, among others. I'll reward extra to the one that kills the Targaryens. They pose the biggest threat to my reign I fear. There are still those loyal to those silver haired, incesteous filth."

"I always wondered what it was like to flay a Targaryen. Will there be flaying knives in this arena?"

"Definitely. You'll have lots of good sport in there as well."

"I'll do it." Ramsay said, a deadly smile spreading across his face.

"Hound?" Snow really wanted both of them to partake. The prospect of Ramsay torturing Ned Stark to death was almost mouth watering, but the idea of The Hound cutting him in half with a broadsword was almost erotic.

"Is there going to be _fire_?" Sandor's voice cracked on fire.

"I suppose there will be some. I have a couple fire cannons ready to target anybody I desire."  _Let's see if the Targaryens really are fire proof._

"I'll do it, but if any of that bloody fire comes near me, i'll strangle you with your own fucking guts."

The president didn't doubt him.

** Robb Stark **

Robb's father had ordered his entire family to meet in the war room, a place not even Robb, the oldest Stark child, was ever allowed in. Ned had given his son the task of gathering the rest of his siblings. Sansa, ever dutiful, had come easily enough. Daenerys and Viserys Targaryen, who Robb considered his brother and sister, didn't put up a fuss at all. The rest, however, were a completely different story.

It had taken Robb nearly an hour to track down Arya, his youngest sister, a girl of 9. She had been hiding in a school room closet in the lower levels. Arya gave a brief chase, but Robb was able to catch her with ease. Brandon, alias Bran, and his younger brother Rickon gave more of a chase than their sister. Eventually he lured them both to the war room with promises of gifts and plentiful candy.

Robb didn't know why they didn't want to attend a meeting that their father had called. Ever since they evacuated District 12 and took up residence in 13, Ned had hardly been able to get around to see his children as much as he wanted to. Perhaps it was the increased freedom they all had without the watchful eye of their parents. At the mansion in District 12, Catelyn had used her servant and friend Brienne to herd the children wherever she desired them. All except Robb, who his father had started grooming in hopes he would become Mayor one day.

Nonetheless, Robb had corralled all of his siblings into the expansive war room. They had all run in prepared to fight over the best seats at the giant oval table that dominated the room, but their father's war council was already seated. The Red Viper Oberyn Martell, the legendary fighter Jaime Lannister and his smart dwarf brother Tyrion, the ever gallant and brave Renly Baratheon, and Ned's good friend Jorah Mormont, freshly returned from a trip to District 11 after talks with the Tyrells.

In the presence of these men, the children quietly seated themselves around the table. Robb sat in between his auburn haired sister Sansa and perhaps his best friend, Viserys Targaryen. With all twelve of them at the table, only the head chair remained empty. Just as Robb started to grow impatient, his father strolled into the room in all of his grim glory. Everybody at the table rose upon his entrance.

"Sit down." Ned said impatiently. Everybody immediately sat down.

"I bring grave news from the Capitol. Renly already knows what I am about to say." Ned paused, as if unsure of how to word his next sentence. "I talked with President Snow not 4 hours ago. He called to gloat of the Asha and Theon Greyjoy's capture in District 10, as well as...as the capture of Stannis Baratheon and my wife Catelyn."

For a moment Robb thought he had heard his father incorrectly. "They have mother?" He asked in horror. Already he had to suppress tears from forming at the thought of his beloved mom rotting in some Capitol dungeon. Both Bran and Rickon instantly began to cry, silent tears streaking down their young faces.

"Father, is this true?" Sansa asked in a quivering tone. Robb knew she was trying her hardest not to fall apart.

"I'm afraid it is, my love. A capitol envoy arrested her and probably Brienne in the middle of her talks with Stannis."

Oberyn Martell stood at once. "My Lord, say the word and I will have the armies of District 4 at the Capitol's doorstep by the end of the week. We will mount Snow's head on a spike!" One of the few things Robb knew about Oberyn was his fierce thirst for revenge when somebody wronged him or his family.

"Quiet Oberyn, I was not finished." Ned said sternly.

The Red Viper looked at his liege in shock. "You mean to do nothing, while the enemy holds your wife and son in chains?!"

"The president has offered me terms that I cannot refuse, but I fear that none of you will take any liking to them. Snow has sent a train that will be arriving in District 12 by the end of the week. If I, my entire remaining family and all of my councillors board this train and leave for the Capitol, no harm will come to my wife or son."

The entire room was dead silent. A whirlwind of emotions was coursing through young Robb. He was angry at the Capitol for capturing his mother, yet also at his father for sending her away virtually unprotected. He felt humiliated by the fact that they had to travel to the Capitol as prisoners _Why didn't his father do more to protect mom?_

"I'll never go!" Arya screamed. She lept up from her seat and darted out of the room before anybody could say otherwise. Ned appeared to be on the verge of tears.

"And what do you suppose the good president will do with us once we're under his thumbnail?" Tyrion Lannister spoke up. "Pardon us all and send us on our merry way?"

"You're a Lannister, in case you haven't noticed." Jorah Mormont said. "Your father is Snow's most loyal commander. You and Jaime will definitely be pardoned."

"And what of the rest of us?" Renly asked.

"What about my claim!" Viserys yelled, silencing the room. "We don't have to bend the knee to the usurper! I am the rightful ruler of this country, he should fear me!" Robb shook his head at Viserys' hotheadedness. It was like to get him killed one day.

"I know that I could never ask any of you to throw away your life to save mine own, but i'm afraid I must ask. If I don't have every one of you on that train, my wife and son will die. Renly, your brother will die. What say you?"

"The president said we had to get on the train." The Red Viper started, "but he said nothing of what we have to do once we're on the train." A sly smirk appeared on Oberyn's lips, and Robb allowed himself a small dose of hope.

** Jon Snow **

When the door of his cell opened, Jon Snow thought he was hallucinating. A woman with dressed in rags and sporting wild auburn hair was brought into his cell by the guards. Her head hung limp, but Jon could her a faint sobbing coming from her. She was thrown onto the floor near his feet. The merciless guards slammed the door shut, leaving the two prisoners alone. _Why have they put this woman in my cell? Is it some ploy? A method of torture? Should I be cautious?_

"Are you hurt?" Jon asked his new cell mate. At the sound of his voice, her sad sobbing stopped abruptly. She lifted her head slowly until she was staring into the eyes of her husband's bastard child.

"Mother?" Jon asked, astonished. What was Ned's wife doing here?

"Don't call me that." Her ragged voice commanded, confirming it was in fact Catelyn Stark.

"Oh my god, what happened to you?" Jon asked as he stood up from his crouched position. He removed the thin black Night's Watch cloak he had been wearing and draped it around his step mother. It could get bitterly cold in the dungeons, so cold sometimes Jon could see his own breath. He lifted Cat up and drew her closer to him to conserve body heat. She was already shivering.

"Ned. He sent me to hold talks with Stannis Baratheon. We were arrested in his mansion. Stannis, Brienne and I." Catelyn turned her head away from Jon as she pulled the thin cloak tighter to her body.

"Even now, you still act coldly towards me." Jon Snow said in disbelief.

To that, his step mom did not have a response.

He resolved to wait her out. After all, they were now stuck in a cell together. She would either warm up to him or die of loneliness. At least she didn't move away from his embrace, Jon thought thankfully. At least he wouldn't freeze to death. An uncertain amount of time passed before Jon heard soft snoring coming from Catelyn. At least she would be able to catch a little bit of sleep.

Outside, one of the guards yelled. His voice was cut off abruptly and followed by a thunk. The brief scuffle occured outside the door, Jon could hear. _What was going on? Did somebody else escape? Fat Sam or Alliser?_

The door to his cell was unlocked and pushed open. Two figures stepped in, barbaric weapons in hand. One was a giant of a man with a giant copper colored beard. The other was a small woman, a girl really, with hair that looked to be kissed by fire. In the dim light Jon could already tell she was beautiful.

"Jon Snow?" She asked in a northern accent.

"Yes." He replied.

"Who's that?" The gruff man asked in a gruff accent.

"My stepmother, Catelyn Stark. Are you here to rescue me?" Jon asked, a new surge of hope rushing through him.

"No, we came for a visit. What the fuck do you think we're doing? Come on, we need to hurry!"

Next Time: Tensions mount as Ned's group leaves for District 12, President Snow has Asha and Theon over for dinner, Jon Snow and Catelyn wander the dungeons of the Capitol.


	5. Night Gathers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ygritte leads a desperate escape plan while above President Snow has an offer for Asha and Theon.

** Ygritte **

Ygritte had expected to smuggle three crows through the tunnels underneath the city, not four. It might not have been a major difference, but that one extra person, Catelyn Stark, had now made the group she and Tormund were responsible for bigger. Catelyn Stark was a burden from the moment she laid eyes on her, Ygritte knew. She was not strong enough to walk on her own, so Tormund had to resort to carry her. Which meant that he could not operate a gun or break open any doors. And they still had two more people to break free.

"Do you know where the other two are?" Ygritte asked Jon Snow, the handsome boy she had just freed. He could be no more than 17, over five years younger than herself, but for some reason Ygritte was drawn to him. Which made absolutely no sense, because she hadn't even seen him in proper lighting yet. He could be hideous for all she knew.

"No idea. And we need to get Stannis and his nephew Joffrey." Jon huffed as he struggled to keep up with her brisk pace.

"Why do we have to do that?" She asked, frustrated.

"Because we can't just leave them here."

"Great. More fun for us, then." Tormund sighed, already dreading the upcoming fight with the numerous amounts of guards patroling the dungeons.

"Gimmie your gun!" Ygritte told Tormund abruptly.

Tormud simply scoffed. "Why the fuck would I do that?"

"You can't shoot while you're holding her now can you?"

"Grab it then." He said unhappily. Ygritte fell back and ripped his Capitol enhanced machine gun off of his back. She picked up speed again and shoved it into Jon Snow's hands. He quickly inspected the gun as they made a left turn.

When he said "I've never seen a gun like this before" Ygritte knew they were going to fail the mission, but she didn't have the heart to tell that to the pretty boy running along side her.

"Sam? Alliser? Stannis!" shouted Jon Snow.

"Help!" A voice yelled from the right. Jon stopped cold in his tracks at the sound of the voice. He ran backwards a couple feet until he was face to face with a bitter looking old man dressed similarly to Jon. Thin black cloak, black cargo pants, and black boots. _These people have no sense of fashion_ , Ygritte thought to herself.

"Alliser!" Unlike Jon's cell, this one had rows of bars making up one side of the wall. She figured it was so the guards could harass him more, but who knew? These southerners were pretty cruel, and they dared to call her northern people savages.

"Step back!" Tormund gently set Catelyn down before ramming the bars with his brute force. The solid beams shook, but did little else.

"We need a key to open it!" Jon said just as two men dressed entirely in white saw them. Peacekeepers, they were called apparently. Pretty boy pulled the trigger on his enhanced gun, sending a spray of wild bullets towards the peacekeepers. None hit their mark.

"Fucking hell." Ygritte cursed. She pulled out her pistol and shot each guard two times square in the chest. Small plumms of blood blossomed where each bullet hit, permanently staining their white armor.

Tormund yanked one of the guards up by his hair. "Where is Stannis!" He bellowed inches from the dying guard's face. In the dim light, Ygritte saw the peacekeeper smile a bloody smile before the light went out of his eyes. Her big friend threw his corpse against the wall in rage. Something fell out of his suit and jingled on the cold cement floor.

"Keys!" Jon announced. It took him a couple of minutes to open his friend Alliser's cell open. Tormund handed him one of the peacekeeper's guns, while taking the other for himself.

"One down, three to go."

** Theon **

"What do you think he's trying to do?" Theon asked his sister as they were escorted up a set of carpeted stairs. Even though there were at least a dozen peacekeepers surrounding them, Theon realized that they were at their complete mercy. Therefor, he could talk freely around his sister, because they had no intention of escape. Yet.

"I don't know." Asha admitted. "We could be rotting in the dungeons right now but he's asked us to have dinner with him? There's something fishy about that."

"Maybe he wants something." Theon suggested.

"Maybe."

The two Greyjoys were led into a lavishly decorated room. Maroon was the color of the carpet and the walls, small golden spiral designs speckled throughout the interior. To Theon's left he could see a wide balcony with a grand view of Panem's greatest city. It was a cloudy day, but still the grandeur and finery of the Capitol left Theon wondering why they had been happy living on their father's drap island fortress.

"Ah, Balon's children." The voice came from a thick looking old man clad in a sparkling jade suit. _Well, thick was a little too harsh,_ Theon thought. He definitely had a gut, but it was hidden well enough. His white hair was left unstyled flowing to his shoulders in white blankets. The beard on his face did little to hide the sting of his judgemental snake eyes that matched the color of his suit.

"I suppose you don't have to share my courtesy, what with your current...situation." A wide smiled graced the President's face. "Come come, sit, Asha and Theon Greyjoy. We have plenty to discuss, and delectable food to talk over." After their continued silence, a glimmer of anger appeared on Snow's face, but he quickly covered it up with another smile. "Or, I could have my peacekeepers escort you to the dungeons. You both look fit to be there in that garb you're wearing." Theon glanced down at the worn out military outfit he had been wearing since Tywin Lannister captured him.

"I"m sorry, President Snow, but we haven't had a moment to change into something more...suitable." Asha said in a horrible attempt at courtesy.

"Well of course not, you were too busy tearing District 10 apart. Please, come and sit down."

Theon followed Asha's lead when she closed the distance between them and the large mahogany table in the center of the room. They both sat as far away from Snow as they could get, but with the table being a square, it was hard. Once they were seated, food was brought in by the servants in droves. Barbecued his and broiled that and candied everything drowned in butter or on beds of exotic plants. Theon had never heard of half of these foods, but here in the Capitol they were plentiful. While they were starving in 10, the residents here were gorging themselves. The thought made Theon sick.

"How do I know that this isn't all poisoned?" Asha asked Snow skeptically.

The President smiled. "Ah, you are indeed a smart one, young Asha. If you would, select one of everything at this table and put it on my plate. I will try each item, just to comfort you in the knowledge none of this is poisoned." Asha did as he said, and was shocked when Snow took a bite out of everything. His face didn't turn purple and he didn't fall over dead. Theon found himself nearly delighted as he began to pile delicacies onto his plate.

"I'm glad you're enjoying the food." Snow remarked after Theon had finished everything he put in front of him and was reaching for more.

"It's really good." Theon said, not quite sure what to do when the President was glaring daggers at him. He tried his best to ignore it.

"Do you know why it is that I have you two up here, blessed with my company, while I have Ned Stark's family rotting in the dungeons below us?" Snow asked after a long silence.

"You like playing mind games?" Asha asked. She clearly wasn't afraid of the snake on the other side of the table.

"That is very true, but alas that is not the only reason. You see, Catelyn Stark and Jon Snow cannot fight worth a damn, i'm afraid. The bastard missed his shot in an attempt on my life, that pitiful fool. He doesn't understand that in the game of thrones, you win or you die. There is no middle ground. However, you Greyjoy's are renowned for your fighting prowess. You two managed to delay Tywin Lannister's siege for a couple days. That's admirable. I have an offer that neither of you could refuse in your wildest dreams."

Theon didn't like the sound of any of that. "What kind of deal?"

"Well, young Theon, it's quite simple. I am putting together a grand event to punish the rebels that have plagued this good nation the last couple months. I'm calling it The Hunger Games. 24 rebels, you two included, will enter a vast arena pitted against the other 22. Every man for themselves. There will be weapons provided, and you all will fight to the death on national television. The winner of the Games will be rewarded riches beyond belief and a full pardon. And in a special event, if the last remaining tributes happen to share the same last name, they all get to win. Splendid, isn't it?"

Theon found himself shaking in revulsion and anger. This man is truly sick, he thought. Theon considered throwing his plate at the fat snake before him, but it would only make it worse.

"That's sick." Asha said is disgust.

"I know. It's the kind of fate that rebels deserve. As I was saying, you two are good at fighting. I like that. If you two agree to represent the Capitol in my Games and kill all of your rebel friends, I will reward you by sending in fresh food and supplies every day via hovercraft."

Theon was appalled. "You want us to--"

"We'll do it." Asha cut him off. "Thank you for such a kind offer. We will not disappoint."

"I hope you don't. You two may leave now. Have the guards take you to the rooms I had prepared for you. You will enjoy them I hope." Snow flashed the snake smile, and then Theon stormed out of the room. The guards, who had heard every word of the conversation, marched ahead of him. He heard his sister catching up behind him.

"Theon, Theon wait!" She called. He turned to face her, seething in anger.

"I hope you don't believe what I said in there-"

"He's sick, Asha! He's absolutely insanely demented! What did he call it, 'The Hunger Games', was it?"

"Shut up and listen." Asha snapped. She leaned in close and began to whisper. "If we play along to his twisted little game, it will put ourselves in a better position. All we have to do it play along and we will survive this together. We will make it home, together, but only if you cooperate!"

"I don't know if I can."

** Daenerys **

In the few months that Dany had been away from District 12, it had nearly turned into a graveyard. The buildings in the Square all had large scorch marks from where the firebombs were dropped. The ground looked like a speckled grey and black disaster zone from her view in the hovercraft. WIth nothing else to do, she began to sketch what she was seeing in her beloved sketchbook.

She found herself increasingly mad at Ned Stark after the conference he held four days prior. Dany couldn't believe that he was planning to submit to the man who killed her father and took his position as president. She felt as if the filming she had done the previous week was for nothing. Daenerys had tried so hard working on the propos because Ned Stark told her they were crucial to the war effort. And now here he was planning to give in.

"You look pale, princess." A southern voice said behind her. Even though she had never personally talked to him before, she knew the voice of the Red Viper. She turned to see him sitting down in the chair next to her.

"It's a family trait." She said, not really knowing what else to say.

"I've noticed. Listen, do you remember those scenes Ned had you shoot last week?"

She felt a small pang of anger at Ned's name being mentioned. "Yeah, what about them?"

"Our tech team in 13 has just finished a propo, would you like to see it?" Oberyn smiled. His white teeth contrasted his tan skin and coal black hair.

"I guess so." Dany answered uneasily. She wanted to see if they turned out any good, but at the same time she didn't want to watch herself on camera.

"Great! Follow me, Daenerys Targaryen. I think you're going to like this." Dany stood up, leaving her sketch book behind as she followed the Red Viper towards the main room. The hovercraft was small, and they reached their destination in less than a minute. Ned Stark, Renly Baratheon, and all of Stark's children were gathered in the cramped room. A screen was built into the wall on one end.

"Are we ready?" Ned asked, smiling faintly at Dany. She resisted the urge to smile back and sat down stony faced.

Renly hit the play button. Displayed on the screen were the dying embers of a fire. That image faded into a man getting shot down on a city street by a peacekeeper which faded into another scene where a city was seen burning to the ground. Screams of women and children accompanied it. An army of peacekeepers was marching through a ragtag mob chanting for the death of President Snow.

Suddenly it's showing the dying fire again, except now it's been rekindled by somebody offscreen. The camera slowly panned out until Viserys and Dany herself came into view. Both were dressed for war in matching red and black military suits. Viserys held a gasoline can in one hand, a pistol in the other.

"The fire of hope is dying. The winds of change are slowing down" It was Dany talking, the camera zoomed in on just her. "If we lose hope now, the Capitol will destroy everything we hold dear. Our cities will be burned to the ground, our friends and family will starve while the Capitol laughs and steals the food out of our children's mouth's" A tear trails down Dany's dirt streaked face on camera as it switches over to her brother.

"I am Viserys Targaryen. Coriolanus Snow killed my father President Aerys Targaryen in cold blood so he could ascend to power himself. Under his tyrannical rule, we as a nation have starved! Fight back and help my sister and I push the false president out of the Capitol and put the true ruling family back in power! The fire is dying, don't let it burn out!" After her brother's speech, the camera shows the fire blazing as it fades to black.

After a round of clapping, Dany is congratulated on the video. She wanted to tell them that it really wasn't anything special, but instead she just absorbed the gratitude.

"Has that been broadcast yet?" Oberyn asked.

"We're putting it up tonight when we arrive in 12." Ned stated. "The flames certainly won't be put out now."

** The President **

"You captured them down here?" Snow asked as he fixed the bulletproof vest on his chest. The dungeons surely were darker than he remembered, but his shiny suit gave off it's own jade vibe.

"Cornered them. One of them managed to escape into the tunnels, but we're giving pursuit sir."

"Excellent." The President rounded a corner with his legion of peacekeepers. At the very end of the hallway, he could see the group of prisoners that had futilely tried to escape. They were surrounded and overwhelmed with his personal army. All of them were stripped of their weapons and handcuffed. Snow stepped through is guards to gloat to them personally.

"This is rather amusing, I must admit." He said with a wide smile. The Night's Watch terrorists refused to look at him, but Catelyn Stark was glaring at him with ice cold eyes. Stannis and his nephew were both fighting their bonds, but it was to no use.

"Who's this one?" Snow asked as he gestured to the woman with flaming red hair. "Is she the one that tried to break them out?"

"There was another, but he escaped." "Ah, I see. I'm sure Ned Stark sent you to rescue his son. Poor you, honey. You just filled a spot in my evil plan. When Ned Stark arrives here in the Capitol, I will reveal it to everybody.Oh how I can't wait.

Next Time: Ned Stark and the gang journey to the Capitol, where President Snow waits to spring his master plan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Don't worry, the actual Games will be starting soon enough. And some of you may have noticed that i've made this part of a series now. I plan on writing a bunch more Game of Thrones crossovers, hence the name "A Game of Crossovers" So far I have a GoT/The Walking Dead one planned and a GoT/THG/TWD mega fanfic crossover planned! :D :D   
> ~TheChuckles


	6. Puzzle Pieces

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The long awaited confrontation between Ned Stark and President Snow takes place!! :D

** Ned **

Ned Stark was surprised to see that the train station was completely empty when he and his entourage arrived early that morning. He had taken great precautions to re-enter his district discreetly to curb any of his citizens to rally to his side or attempt to execute him. District 12 was by far hit the hardest by the Capitol, and many were mad at him for causing it.

Snow had not specified on what they could and could not bring with them, so Ned restricted everybody to a single suitcase, which was undoubtable going to be searched by the peacekeepers that will escort them to the Capitol. Ned had told his companions not to try anything dangerous, but he had secretly allowed The Red Viper to carry various poisons hidden in his necklace and numerous rings he wore on his fingers daily. Ever since Ned had received word that Catelyn and Jon had broken out of prison, he had begun scheming a way to hijack the train. Without them in Snow's captivity, Ned had no reason to obey his authority.

The train pulled into the small, dirty station just as the sun was rising in the east. Ned and Oberyn stood in front of the rest of the pack just in case the peacekeepers tried anything. Behind them, both Bran and Sansa were fiercely holding Robb's hands while trying not to cry. Arya was obviously pouting at the far edge of the group. Jaime and Tyrion Lannister were engaged in a quiet conversation, while Jorah Mormont stood over Daenerys and Viserys in a protective manor. Renly Baratheon stood by himself in the middle. Out of all his children, only Rickon still showed any compassion towards him. The little four year old had a death grip on Ned's pointer finger.

Once the sleek white train came to a stop, at least a dozen peacekeepers emerged from sliding doors. It took them seconds to surround the party of rebels, guns aimed and ready to fire. Ned noticed Oberyn smirk and hoped that the peacekeepers wouldn't call him out on it. There couldn't be any incidents until they were on the train and out of the district.

"We're going to search all of you and your suitcases. Any one of you make any sudden moves and they will be shot on sight." The head peacekeeper said. The rest began to pat down each member of the group. The peacekeeper searching Oberyn payed no attention to his rings or his necklace, which gave Ned a slight glimmer of hope. They eventually transitioned into emptying the contents of the suitcases.

"I heard that your wife and bastard son tried to escape in the Capitol." The head peacekeeper said, scratching his salt and pepper beard. Ned decided to feign surprise.

"Really? I wasn't aware." Ned said in his best attempt at an astonished voice.

"Yeah, well don't get any funny ideas Stark. They were captured within an hour of breaking out, along with the savage that tried to free them." Ned didn't expect that, and the frown that struck his face was genuine. If this was true, that meant that Snow also had Ygritte and Tormund, the two wildlings Ned had sent undercover inside the Capitol.

"They're all clean, sir." A peacekeeper told his boss once they were done searching.

"Good. Let's load up, we leave in 5." The peacekeepers all loaded onto the train again, leaving Ned and Oberyn to help everybody else load up. Ned was the last one to enter the train just as it took off. He was shocked to see that it was decked out with plush furniture and extravagant food.

"How can we trust any of this?" Tyrion Lannister asked, inspecting a pomegranate.

"We can't, but Snow wouldn't poison us unless he was there to watch us choke." Oberyn commented. Ned thought that was logical, so he allowed his kids to dig in on the food while he put their suitcases away. As he walked into the first room he saw, he was surprised to see that somebody had already taken residence inside. A balding fat man was looking out of the window when he entered. When he turned to look at Ned, he realized it was the Mayor of District 11, Mace Tyrell.

"Mace? What are you doing here?" Ned asked uneasily. _Is this some kind of trap?_

"Stark! I'm looking at the reason i'm stuck on this blasted train! When you sent that old man Mormont to treat with me, Snow found out and had me and my son Loras arrested. He's thrown us in with the lot of you now, to await his judgement."

"You and Loras? Was Loras there when you met with Jorah?"

"No! I suppose he's taking him in case I tried to escape or anything, which I obviously can't do."

"Well i'm sorry Mace, this is really unfortunate. I'm sorry to have intruded." Ned walked out of the room at a fast pace. His mind was racing. So Mace was now with them, that he could understand. But why Loras? The first thought that came to him was that Snow planned on having a trial by combat, and he planned to use Loras as his champion. It would make sense, because Loras Tyrell was renowned throughout Panem for his fighting skill. Almost as much as Oberyn Martell, even.

Whatever the reason, Ned did not like it one bit.

** The Red Viper **

Stark waited until late in the night to tell Oberyn that the plan was off.

"What do you mean we're not doing it?" Oberyn was astonished at how often Eddard Stark flip flopped on his plans. "Your wife and son are no longer in Snow's possession, we need to strike!" Ned's silence on the matter made him wonder what had changed, and suddenly it all fell into place.

"They didn't escape." Oberyn concluded. "Well, that won't stop me from poisoning the guards when we arrive in the Capitol then. By the time they die, we'll already be on trial and there will be no way to pin it on any of us." The original plan was to wait until the train slept, and then poision the guards in their sleep. WIthout them watching over them, the group would escape when the train stopped for fuel and hightail it back to 13 while Jorah and Jaime would search for Catelyn and Jon.

"Do what you must, but do it discreetly. We don't want Snow to pin this on us too." Ned looked out at the dark fields as the train zipped by them under the beautiful night sky. "Did you know Mace Tyrell and his son Loras are with us as well?"

That was news to Oberyn. "What? What's the Fat Flower and his son doing here? I thought they refused Jorah."

"They did."

"Unless...Snow found out about their meeting with Jorah. That powdered snake knows everything it seems. The only other reason I can think of them being here for is to keep an even closer eye on us."

"Mace told me that Snow has thrown them in with us, just like he did Stannis and his nephew Joffrey. He's trying to tie off all the loose ends, make sure nothing like this ever happens again."

Oberyn snorted. "He won't be tying up anything now after that propo went viral. There are already revolts against Tywin Lannister in 10 and The Night's Watch in 2 have rallied with the people and have retaken the entire district. Snow killing us will only make him a bunch of martyrs."

"He won't kill all of us." Ned said. "Jaime and Tyrion will be set free because of their last name. I doubt he will kill Mace or Loras, but he might just kill Stannis because he's a threat. Or maybe he'll keep his nephew hostage in the Capitol, i'm not quite sure. What I am certain of though, is that the two of us will die."

_I don't plan on dying anytime soon_ , The Red Viper thought. "Unless we can organize something, that will be the case."

"I can't contact any of my sources on this blasted train. Maybe when we're in the Capitol I could get word out, but that's a small chance. Daenerys and Viserys have to live, that much is crucial. If they die, then this whole thing will have been for nothing. We will die for nothing. My children will grow up without a father, captive in the Capitol, for nothing. The Targaryens have to live."

Oberyn remained silent, but his mind was racing. He didn't plan on dying with Ned or the rest of them. He wasn't going to become Snow's prisoner for the rest of his days, no, that was definitely not happening. He didn't care what he had to do, whether it be throwing Ned to the wolves or burning down the Capitol itself, he was going to survive this.

** The President **

The President sat on the balcony halfway up his mansion struggling to hide his excitement. There were cameras everywhere and almost half the population of the Capitol had jammed themselves into the square in front of Snow's mansion. Everybody wanted to be there when Ned Stark was sentenced to death.

Although he had been raised in the Capitol, Snow had never really gotten into the bizarre fashion sense that his citizens did. He liked to keep his looks plain enough. _Take today for example_ , he thought. A simple black velvet suit with white tie and a white rose image sewn onto the shoulder of his coat in glittery gems. There was no need to through in any magenta hair or excessively long eyebrows, that was just redundant. Yes, Snow didn't exactly take kindly to his people, but he admired how they followed his every word without question. Such loyalty was hard to come by.

The President had the train tracks altered so the train carrying Ned Stark and his brood would come to a stop in the center of the square below him. A legion of peacekeepers stood in force circling the makeshift train station as a show of force. There was no way that Stark was going to rob him of this moment. Snow wanted to savor the expression on the traitor's face when he realized that all of his friends and family were going to die brutally, some even at his hands. To accentuate the moment, he had all of his traitor prisoners brought forth to be displayed just out of Ned's reach, a couple levels below Snow himself on a lower balcony.

Catelyn Stark and her servant Brienne, Jon Snow, the wildling bitch named Ygritte, Stannis Baratheon and his blonde nephew Joffrey, Alliser Thorne and fat Sam Tarly, members of the terrorist organization The Night's Watch. They all stood wearing rags and in chains before the entire nation. Meanwhile, Snow had ordered several stylists to dress The Hound and Ramsay Bolton however they pleased so they could be displayed with Snow on his balcony, along with Asha and Theon Greyjoy. He wanted Stark to know what his family was up against.

A voice crackled in his ear. "The train is approaching the square, sir." The message brought a snake like smile to Snow's fat, pouty lips.

"Clear the area around the station. The rebels are not going to get off easy by dying in a mob." Moments after his command, the peacekeepers began to spread out, forcing the residents of the Capitol away from the train station. Snow would burn the entire mob before he let them touch any of those rebels. _They are mine, not yours._ A white glimmer caught The President's eye in the distance. His smile grew bigger as the train came to a hault dead center in the square. The angry shouts from the mob was music to Snow's ears.

Ned Stark was the first prisoner escorted off of the train, handcuffs holding his hands behind his back. The sly Oberyn Martell followed next, then Renly Baratheon. Tywin's two boys followed after Renly. _They think they will be pardoned, those fools._ Tywin had fought him over Jaime, but when Snow threatened to include his beloved daughter Cersei in his plan, he begrudgingly relented. Jaime had a good chance of winning anyways. Jorah Mormont came in front of the two Targaryens, the reason that Ned Stark decided to rebel against Snow's authority. They will have to die first, Snow decided to himself. Followed by them were all of Ned Stark's children. _I can't kill all of them_ , Snow thought. _Otherwise 12 will never forgive me_. He decided that he would keep the two youngest out of his Games.

Last and least out of the train were the two Tyrells that Snow had found out held talks with Jorah Mormont. _They may be rich_ , Snow thought, _but no amount of riches can stop me from getting what I want_. Besides, Snow knew that Loras Tyrell was a skilled fighter and would add more flavor to his Games. Mace would just have to deal with it.

"President Snow, you're live." The voice said. Snow made a great show of rising from his throne like chair. With a simple wave of his hand he silenced the masses. The rebels were lined up in front of the train station, in clear sight of The President.

"Citizens of the Capitol, I come before you today swathed in sadness. One of my closest allies, nay, one of my closest friends has caused us all great turmoil striving for his own personal gain. Eddard Stark, Mayor of District 12, has attempted to oust me from my rightful position as your president to be replaced by the children of the worst president this great country has ever seen. Mr. Stark, what do you have to say for yourself?"

Ned broke his eye contact with his wife and son to stare into the beady eyes of President Snow. _He knows i'm enjoying this_. "We were never friends, Snow, and we never will be. Viserys and Daenerys Targaryen are the last of an ancient family that brought this continent back from collapse. It was the Targaryens who formed Panem, lest you all forget. Without them, perhaps the human race would have gone extinct." Snow had to stifle a laugh. Reaching out to the people would prove useless because they were already safely tucked inside Snow's pocket.

"This man that calls himself your president is nothing more than a usurper. He unlawfully seized the throne after the death of President Aerys and murdered all the Targaryens he could find. But two of them escaped, and now he is trying to tie up the last loose ends that could hinder his absolute power. How can you all claim to be good citizens when you follow a tyrant that was never meant to rule?"

The crowd came to life, but Snow could not detect whether it was good or bad for him. "Silence!" he roared. The square once again fell quiet. "Eddard Stark, you stand here and talk of tyranny when you are a tyrant yourself. Before you attempted to have me killed by your own son, the districts were living in peace and prosperity-"

"They were starving in silence while you let them!" Ned interrupted. Snow ignored him. This next minute was absolutely crucial "You and your allies shall be punished accordingly. How do you wish to plead? Guilty or not guilty?"

"I will not plead anything, because I do not answer to your authority. I demand a trial by combat!" The crowd exploded in surprise, but Snow had been expecting it all along. The pieces had fallen into place perfectly.

"Very well, even as a rebel you have that right." The crowd fell silent again to hear Snow's next words, as they would be historic. "Therefor I decree, that in punishment for the crimes of Eddard Stark and his associates, there shall be a grand trial by combat where the accused shall fight not champions of the Capitol, but themselves. 24 of you will enter an arena, presented with weapons and supplies, and will henceforth fight to the death. However, being as forgiving as you do not deserve, I will allow more than one person to be decreed victor if they have the same last name. The victor, or victors, will be bathed in riches beyond belief and will receive a royal pardon of all crimes."

The look of confidence on Stark's face washed away to reveal a gaping look of astonishment and defeat. It was everything that Snow hoped for and more. Oberyn Martell remained stony faced in defiance, but how long would that last when he threatened the lives of his children if he didn't participate? Everybody else, even the Lannister brothers, looked to be on the verge of tears.

Snow pulled out a piece of paper with the names of the 24 written on it. "To set everything clear, the following will be included in the trial: Ned Stark, Catelyn Stark, Jon Snow, Robb Stark, Sansa Stark, Arya Stark, Stannis Baratheon, Renly Baratheon, Joffrey Baratheon, Brienne Tarth, Alliser Thorne, Samwell Tarly, the wildling Ygritte, Viserys Targaryen, Daenerys Targaryen, Oberyn Martell, Jaime Lannister, Tyrion Lannister, Jorah Mormont, Loras Tyrell, Asha Greyjoy, Theon Greyjoy, The Hound Sandor Clegane, and Ramsay Bolton. You will all be given three days to train and prepare yourselves for the trial."

Snow paused for the effect it had on the crowd. "This trial shall be called The Hunger Games upon my request, and shall be broadcast across the nation to show Panem what happens to those who defy the Capitol. May the odds be _ever_ in your favor."

Next Time: The 24 are given three days to train, Ned and Catelyn reunite, Asha considers her options, President Snow makes his hostages comfortable, and several tributes begin to form alliances. :D

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Hunger Games are near! Perhaps the next chapter will set everything up, and then bam! The Games will begin! Muhahahaha  
> ~TheChuckles


	7. Three Days Grace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Tributes are given three days to prepare themselves for the "Trial By Combat". This chapter is structured differently than the others. Instead of jumping from one POV to the next, i'm just going to assume the role of the all knowing narrator for this chapter because there's a lot of stuff I want to cover before the Games start next chapter.

** Day 1 **

Ned Stark laid on a soft bed overcome with emotion. He had not slept a wink because he was physically sick with worry. He hadn't let his kids see him like that though, he made sure to get them in their own rooms before he collapsed.

_I'll see Cat today_ , he told himself. _And Jon too_. That was the only reassurance he had, the only reason he didn't just let himself die on that bed. Ned wasn't stupid, and he sure wasn't naive. Out of his entire family, only Jon, Robb and himself had any realistic chance of surviving long enough to win. Could the three of them really keep the entire family, all six of them, alive long enough to kill everybody else? Kill people that they had known since childhood? _It's impossible_ , Ned thought. But his family didn't need to know that.

The three Stark children that were essentially condemned to death hadn't gotten much sleep either. Sansa had spent the entire night soothing her little sister Arya to sleep, while Robb had stared out of his window at the bright lights of the Capitol. _How could nobody question this?_ He wondered. He had tried breaking the expansive window, but it turned out to be stronger than him.

President Snow had housed the 24 tributes in a newly constructed building that was supposed to be used as a hotel. However, now it had been transferred into what Snow was calling "The Training Center." He had allowed all of the Starks competing in the Games except for Catelyn and Jon to be housed on the same floor. The rest of the tributes had spent the entire night planning.

Asha and Theon Greyjoy had opted to play to President Snow's plan by pretending to turn their backs on the Starks, but remained neutral to everybody else. Oberyn Martell had spent the whole night staring at the one picture of his entire family that he owned. _Stark will burn for this_ , he thought over and over again as he admired the smiles of his three daughters and wife. Jaime and Tyrion Lannister had decided to play the game of alliances, and planned to make friends during training. Catelyn and Jon Snow were housed together on the bottom floor, still wearing rags and confined to their bedroom. Both were beyond eager to be reunited with their family, although they could hardly stand each other.

The President had spent the entire night switching back and forth from cameras installed in each of the rooms in the Training Center. He laughed until he couldn't breathe when he saw Ned Stark begin to cry. He remained sour for a whole hour when both Loras Tyrell and Oberyn Martell found the hidden cameras and destroyed them. _Those two will play the game, there is no doubt. Perhaps even Jaime Lannister will partake_. Perhaps the most entertaining tributes were Stannis and Renly Baratheon, who had bickered and argued through the early morning hours. _Good thing Robert Baratheon hasn't been seen in 15 years, he might have been the only person strong enough to defy me now._

At Snow's request, all 24 tributes were woken and told to report to the actual training grounds below the Center. Although he wanted to personally watch them train, he knew his presence would distract his pets from doing their tricks. He confined himself to his private chambers and watched from the cameras. Catelyn and Jon were the very last two brought down. Upon seeing them, the entire Stark family flocked to them.

"I'm so sorry." Ned whispered into his wife's ear as they were locked in embrace. Neither could help but let the floodgates open. Tears from both pooled together as they shared their first kiss in months. The entire world faded from their thoughts. Ned has forgotten how beautiful his wife was, but was appalled by how worn out she looked. Her eyes were wild and her auburn hair frizzy beyond belief. Catelyn had forsaken her sweet Ned while rotting in a cell with his bastard, but now that she actually layed eyes on him all of her anguish washed away with the tears. She cursed herself for hating such a loving husband.

_They're so cute together_. Snow thought, scoffing from his room. _I want them dead._

Once Cat and Ned finally released each other, the Stark children swarmed their mother in a jumble of tears. Each vied for the first contact. Ned hugged his bastard son Jon long and hard, apologizing without relent. Jon forgave his father though, because he had believed in him enough to task him with such an important task.

"I'm the one that failed, dad. I should have killed him" To that, Ned did not have a reply.

The six Starks and the one Snow stood at the edge of the group as an instructor went over the various stations where they could learn how to survive. None of the tributes really payed attention, they were all consumed in their own schemes and fears. Once they were set free to roam around the stations, the game of alliances began.

"You want to keep the Targaryens alive, right?" Tyrion asked Jorah Mormont while Jaime was talking to Brienne. "Because that's what we want too, my friend. We stood by Stark when he tried to put them back in power, but now he's abandoned us for his family. Together, we can win this thing somehow and plan what's next from there."

"Are you stupid, Imp?" Jorah was not fazed one bit by Tyrion's trickery. "The only way that more than one of us are getting out of there alive is if we have the same last name. And my last name isn't Lannister. I'll die saving those kids if I have to, but I won't leave them in your charge. Go to hell." Jaime got pretty much the exact same reply from Brienne, who had decided to hang around with the Stark family.

Stannis and Renly Baratheon steered clear of each other, leaving poor Joffrey to switch between which one he wanted to be with. None of them ventured anywhere close to the Starks.

** Day 2 **

"Oberyn, you and my brother together would be unstoppable! You know that! Why not team up until nobody is left and then call it even? Isn't that better than going solo?"

"Not in your wildest dreams Tyrion." After that, The Red Viper made a point to stay away from the other 23. He kept watching Loras Tyrell as he took on three of the trainers in combat. _Perhaps I could ally myself with that one, he's young enough to be naive_.

Ramsay Bolton absolutely loved watching the terrified emotions on people's faces as he watched them. _Who to flay first?_ He doubted he could get anywhere near any of the Starks in the arena, they would all bunch up together and avoid any conflict. That's no fun. Ramsay thought he could maybe snag one of the Baratheons, or maybe Daenerys Targaryen. They looked pretty defenseless. He would go for one of the Greyjoys, but they looked too hard for him to capture.

Jon Snow had decided that he was going to put effort into training, unlike the rest of his family, who huddled in the far corner feeling sorry for themselves. Jon had gotten over it the moment he realized that he could not hope to stay alive if the rest of his family won. _My last name is Snow, not Stark_. He wouldn't be allowed to win alongside them. It had left him bitter inside, but he did not want to die. While the rest of them ignored the prospect of imminent death, Jon had to do something to prevent himself from going insane.

"Finally figure it out, Crow?" the wildling Ygritte asked Jon as he practiced with a bow and arrow. He notched the arrow and let it fly, but he missed his target by several feet.

"Yeah I bloody figured it out, come to gloat?" Jon spat bitterly.

"No, I came here to make you an offer."

"Well you're here, so talk." _She could be useful_ , Jon thought. _But she'll turn on me the moment everything goes sour_.

"Listen, I say that we would make an excellent team, the two of us. We were the only ones pulling any weight down in those dungeons. What's stopping us from teaming up and fucking the rest of these bastards up?" Ygritte was a head shorter than Snow, so she made sure to put on her best seductive face to add the desired effect on the pretty boy.

"We can't both win." Jon said dully. He wanted to ally himself with Ygritte, because he knew she was in all aspects a total badass, but also because she wasn't hard on the eyes at all.

"That other Snow didn't say nothing about anybody marrying each other in his sick little game. We could do it the very first night, and then legally we could win." She didn't know if a marriage in a trial by combat was legal, but she had to try. She didn't want to die, and she really didn't want to kill Jon or see him die.

"That's insane, you know that right?" Jon thought about it for a moment. He wanted to refuse, but the idea was too tempting. "Okay Ygritte, I accept. Happy now?"

"You know nothing, Jon Snow. I won't be happy until we get to go home. Come now, fiance, let's train."

The Hound Sandor Clegane spent most of the second day scouting out the real competition. He didn't have to worry about the Starks because they would all run and hide instead of fight. Snow would want him to kill one of them however, so he didn't completely disregard them. The Red Viper and Loras Tyrell were high up on his hit list, along with Jaime Lannister and Stannis Baratheon. The Mayor of District 7 may have not been in a fight in years, but Sandor doubted he forgot his old prowess. He figured Brienne Tarth and Jorah Mormont would spend too much time protecting their loved ones, so he didn't worry about them.

The Hound didn't really know what to make of Ramsay Bolton. _He's crazy, that one. A definite wildcard_. Sandor doubted if he would really try to win or just enjoy torturing the others as much as possible. Either way, he was still dangerous. He had also noticed the red headed wildling that hanging around Stark's bastard son. _She definitely knows how to fight_. He marked Alliser Thorne on his list after he witnessed him wield a sword. _He's a hard man_. And last but not least, he observed Asha Greyjoy sparring with her younger brother with spears. _He may not be good, but she's deadly._

** Day 3 **

President Snow told the head instructor to inform his tributes on how the opening day of the Games was going to work. He had perfected the idea with his Head Gamemaker Seneca Crane and his closest confidant, the man simply known as Varys.

"Tomorrow morning, you all will be separated and flown to the arena seperately. Each of you will get a tracker injected into your forearm. All of you will be given separate rooms underneath the arena where you will change into the uniform that has been selected for you. You will step into the tubes and be transported into the arena. There is a 60 second buffer zone between then and the start of the trial."

"You will each be on a podium and will remain there until the gong that signals the beginning of the trial goes off. Step off of the podium and you will be blown to bits by the land mines surrounding you. The podiums will be equidistant from a large golden Cornucopia in the center, where large amounts of weapons and supplies will be stockpiled. The rules state you do not have to go towards the Cornucopia, instead you can run away or whatever other strategy you can think of."

After she was done talking, the head instructor wished them all good luck and resumed her role as sword trainor. Ned Stark called his family over to have a brief meeting.

"Listen to me, here's how we're going to do this. Cat, you get Sansa and Arya as far away from the Cornucopia as possible. Robb and myself will grab supplies and meet you later."

"What about Jon?" Robb asked when he noticed that his half brother was practicing with the red haired wildling.

Ned wished his son hadn't mentioned that. "He made...other alliances. That's beside the point-"

"This is madness. Ned you can't risk the lives of your son and yourself by running into that bloodbath. We're tough, we can find food and make our own weapons" Catelyn had gotten progressively better now that she was reunited with her family.

"Ours lives are already in danger! We need weapons if we can hope to fend off attackers Catelyn!" Ned snapped. He had been under extreme amounts of stress trying to keep his family together.

On the other side of the the training grounds, Jorah Mormont told Daenerys and Viserys virtually the same thing. He would go into the fighting while they ran. Most everybody else, with the exception of Sam Tarly and Tyrion Lannister planned on entering the bloodbath that would follow in the fight for survival.

Meanwhile, The President attempted to make his hostages comfortable. He arranged for all of them to live together in the penthouse of his own presidential mansion. Mace Tyrell, Brandon Stark and Rickon Stark were already present and had first choice over the bedrooms. Stannis's wife Selyse and their daughter Shireen arrived with a peacekeeper escort late on the first day of training. Tywin Lannister arrived with his beautiful daughter Cersei on the second day, along with Roose Bolton. The last to arrive were Oberyn Martell's three daughters, referred to as the Sand Snakes.

President Snow greeted them all in person at the end of the third day of training. "You are all here because those close to you have committed horrible treason. However, I have decided to pardon you all and charge you with no crimes whatsoever, on the condition that you stay on this floor of my mansion and watch The Hunger Games. If you attempt to leave, you will be charged with conspiring against my and will be charged with death.

"Now that I have cleared that up, I really hope you all enjoy your stay. There's plenty of food, room service, and an abundant amount of televisions to watch the Games on. Get a good night's sleep, because on the morrow they will begin! Isn't it so exciting?" The hostages didn't share the President's feelings, but he didn't care. He couldn't wait until the morning came, when he would watch the traitors turn on each other like the savages they were.

Next Time: The 1st Annual Hunger Games begin!! 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to devote more time to Ned and Catelyn, but there was just a lot of stuff I needed to establish before the Games started. Forgive me!   
> ~TheChuckles


	8. Bloodbath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Hunger Games have begun! May the odds be ever in your favorite character's favor!!! :D

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So once again I have assumed the role of the all knowing narrator for this chapter because there is a lot of confusion going on when the Games first start. The POV system will make its grand return next chapter! :D   
> ~TheChuckles

**Day of The Hunger** **Games**

Catelyn Stark hated to have to wake her husband from the last peaceful sleep he would ever have, but it had to be done. Better with a lover's kiss than a rude pounding on the door. She brushed a couple stray strands of Ned's long brown hair out of his face as he opened his eyes.

"It's time, love."

Ned groaned. "Five more minutes, mom." Cat couldn't help but laugh, although it was hollow.

"If you don't get up now you'll be leaving this building in your pajamas." Ned groaned louder, but this time he actually sat up.

"Are the kids up yet?" He asked.

"Probably not." Cat responded, wrapping an arm around her husband's waist. "But we shouldn't wake them. Let them sleep as long as they can." Neither of them spoke of the horrid things that were preoccupying their thoughts. They both thought to let their last morning have nothing to do with The Hunger Games.

President Snow was shaking in anticipation of the bloodbath that was to start in just a couple hours. _Ned Stark could be dead, or even better, his family_. Snow had permitted betting to start on the Games, and it had skyrocketed through the night. One of the technicians had a leaderboard installed to Snow's personal television so he could keep up to speed with the thoughts of the Capitol. Oberyn Martell and Jaime Lannister were both tied for "Most likely to win", while Sansa and Arya Stark were the most likely to die first, according to the citizens.

Tyrion Lannister had opted to get drunk instead of getting sleep. The Capitol had an endless river of alcohol easily available. Tyrion had tried to drown himself in golden suds and crimson wine, but he knew he had failed when he saw the first signs of dawn. His brother Jaime had to literally drag him to the bottom level of the Training Center so they could load the hovercrafts that would take the tributes to their starting positions underneath the arena. Jaime was saddened when he realized that his last memories of his brother would be of him extremely drunk.

Each tribute was taken by a separate helicopter to the arena. None of them could sneak a peek at it however, because the windows of the copter were blacked out and the tributes were all chained to their seats in case they tried to jump out. They were all injected with a tracker via needle point.

Oberyn Martell sensed a coldness above him when he was escorted into the small room underneath the arena. He had spent time all over Panem, and had become adept at sensing the environment around him. _There will be snow, how ironic_ , Oberyn mused. His thoughts were confirmed when his outfit was presented to him: thick pants, knee high boots, gloves, a thermal coat, and two undershirts to prevent hypothermia. _Nobody was going to die of natural causes_ , Oberyn reasoned.

If not for Theon's life at risk, Asha Greyjoy would have felt nothing at all at the prospect of her imminent death. She had lived a long life in District 10 standards, and she knew that her death would only make her a martyr. She even contemplated not participating in Snow's killsport and die early on, but there was something inside her that would not allow it. Deep down, she wanted to live, and she would kill anybody that stood in her way.

When his escort told him to enter the pod that would lead him to his death, Jon Snow tensed up. He knew there was a winter climate awaiting him above now, if his attire was a complete giveaway. He was nervous for a million reasons, but the thing that had him shaking to the most as the pod closed around him was the prospect of teaming up with the wildling Ygritte. He felt that she was only going to use him, but Jon didn't want to believe that. Maybe, just maybe, everything would work out with them. Maybe they would survive, but at the cost of his family's life.

The tube began to rise.

Jon Snow felt a rush of cold air blow down on him. It bit through his layers of clothing and stung his exposed face. His shivers intensified as the tube continued to rise. He continued to ascend for several minutes, suggesting that the rooms were deep underground or it was a sort of ruse so nobody started digging for the rooms. Honestly, he began to think of the most random stuff, anything that would distract him for what he was about to face. He remembered the time when his dad came home from a business trip with Daenerys and Viserys in tow. He remembered the sadness when he found out he was a bastard. He thought of Catelyn, of Dany, of his father, of himself. All of them could be dead in moments.

The darkness above was replaced by a cold light. When Jon's eyes adjusted he could see a cloudy grey sky. More wind blew at him from above until he was finally assaulted by it from all sides as he entered the arena. His eyes adjusted rather quickly. About 40 feet in front of him was a golden Cornucopia, the mouth filled with all kinds of supplies. All around him it appeared to be a winter wonderland. He was in a clearing surrounded by thick pine trees. To his left was the blond Jaime Lannister, to his right was Renly Baratheon. He spotted a tuft of wild red hair about 4 spaces to his right. It was Ygritte, the only one not wearing a hat in the bitter cold. She had been raised in worse conditions than a small winter storm.

A voice began counting down from 60. Everybody knew that when he reached 1 it would be a giant bloodbath. Oberyn noticed the thick ring of ice surrounding the Cornucopia through the tremendous amount of snow falling from the sky. It was almost blizzard conditions, meaning that there would be plenty of confusion. Oberyn assumed that it would make great television.

Ned couldn't believe his luck when he saw his son Robb on the pedestal right next to him. Perhaps it had been some mistake on somebodies part to put two Starks so close together, but Ned noticed Sansa and Arya next to each other on the opposite side of the circle. The countdown was nearing its end.

"5..." Jaime got in position to run for the Cornucopia.

"4..." Brienne finally spotted Catelyn no more than 4 pedestals over from her.

"3..." In his drunken state, Tyrion finally realized there was a countdown in effect. His heart began to race.

"2..." The Red Viper spotted a tall spear in the heart of the Cornucopia. _That's mine_.

"1..." Asha Greyjoy was poised to make it first to the Cornucopia. She spotted the ice surrounding it.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, let the 1st Annual Hunger Games begin!"

Oberyn Martell and Asha Greyjoy both sprinted for the Cornucopia at a dead even speed. Brienne shoved Renly Baratheon out of her way to reach Catelyn Stark. Ned and Robb ran for the center, while Jon and Ygritte met up on the side to watch the battle unfold. Arya and Sansa started running for their mother, but Alliser Thorne blocked their path with an evil smile. They both slipped turning away from him, but he had already left them alone in favor for the pile of supplies in the center. Stannis searched for his nephew and his brother, but could find neither in the raging storm. He retreated to the tree line and watched.

Oberyn leaped over chests and racks of weapons until he was in the heart of the stash. He ripped the spear out of it's bindings to quickly examine it. It was easily the finest weapon he had ever possessed. He saw Asha and Jaime reach the outer limits of the golden horn in search for weapons. Ned Stark and his son Robb arrived next, grabbing survival gear at a considerable distance away from everybody else. Ramsay Bolton simply walked in and grabbed a set of throwing knives before taking off into the forest. Theon arrived next, with The Hound and Loras Tyrell in tow. Asha notched an arrow in her bow and fired a volley in their direction. The only arrow that hit its mark embedded itself into the left calf of Sandor Clegane. He rolled to the side into the snow.

"Dad!" Robb called, pointing to where Sansa and Arya were. Alliser had just blocked their path, but now was coming for the Cornucopia. Robb grabbed a curved sword from the nearest weapons rack and approached the man of the Night's Watch. He had the weapon advantage, but Alliser was a seasoned veteran of many battles. He dodged Robb's sloppy swing with his sword and punched him in the ribs. Robb dropped his weapon. Alliser picked it up, poised to get rid of his competition.

Instead, he was tackled by Jon through the layer of ice and into the frigid cold water. He aimed several punches at Alliser below him, but only a few connected with his face. The rest sent cold water splashing all over himself. He tried to back away from the edge, but Alliser grabbed onto his ankle and dragged him into the water with him. Both tried to drown the other in the frantic search for air. A hand reached in and pulled Jon out. When Jon regained his senses he saw it was his half-brother Robb, who he had saved. He swung into the water with his curved sword until the ice was red with Alliser's blood.

"Go!" He yelled at Jon. Ygritte was there the next second with a heavy backpack and a hunting knife in her possession. Jon's body was starting to freeze up, forcing her to tug on Jon's coat until he followed her into the forest.

Meanwhile, Jorah Mormont had found Viserys and Daenerys and had led them into the forest. He stopped when they were no longer in sight of the field.

"I'm going back for supplies, you two stay here!" He began to run back into the bloodbath, but when Viserys joined him he didn't force him back. The young Targaryen was too bullheaded to simply be a bystander.They emerged onto the field as the last tributes had reached the Cornucopia. Oberyn Martell was making a run for the opposite edge of the forest when he got tackled by what looked like Joffrey Baratheon. The Red Viper quickly recovered, pushing Joffrey into the snow and striking with his spear. When he was on the move again, there was no doubt Joffrey was dead.

Jaime Lannister grabbed a small backpack along with a sword before escaping into the forest. He didn't spot his brother Tyrion.

The Greyjoy siblings had gathered enough supplies for the both of them, but they were struggling to get out of the field. The Hound had managed to grab a greatsword and was swinging at the two of them wildly. Asha sank another arrow into his leg, which brought him to his knees. They took the small window of opportunity to escape into the forest. Catelyn Stark and Brienne ran into the melee to find Ned and Robb.

"What are you doing here! Run Catelyn! Run!" Ned yelled while he dodged a blow from Loras Tyrell, who was wielding a shortsword. Brienne herself dodged a punch by Renly Baratheon to grab a silver axe from off the ground. She swung at Renly, planting the axe deep into his chest. She pulled it out viciously and threw it at Loras. He saw it coming at the very last second and dodged. He gave up on Ned and ran into the forest with just the weapon and no supplies.

"Where are the girls?!" Catelyn asked the small group. "There!" Robb saw them disappear into the forest, followed by Sandor Clegane. "The Hound is after them!" He screamed. Brienne covered the three Starks as they ran for the forest, but halfway across the field she felt a sudden pain in her chest. She looked down at the arrowhead that was sticking out of her coat, right where her heart was.

"Dammit, I missed her!" Asha told Theon from the edge of the forest. She had been aiming for Catelyn Stark, but instead had hit her bodyguard Brienne. The beast of a women sank to her knees in the field, another victim of the bloodbath.

Samwell Tarly came out of hiding once it appeared everybody else had fled. He began rifling through the leftovers inside the Cornucopia when he heard crunching snow behind him. He never saw Stannis Baratheon as he lodged a mace deep in his skull. With the fat one dead, Stannis quickly grabbed a backpack and carefully retreated into the forest. He didn't spot the corpse of his nephew on the other side of the field.

Jorah led Viserys out of the forest once all visible threats were gone. He grabbed two hefty backpacks while Viserys picked up the silver axe Brienne had previously used. He spotted a set of knives deep in the golden horn that piqued his interest. While Viserys was grabbing them, Jorah saw a silver flash fly through the air at him. The knife was buried deep in the skull of the last male Targaryen, killing him on the spot. In mad fury Jorah scanned the woodline for his killer when he himself was struck with a blade. This one was embedded deep in his chest.

Ramsay Bolton regretted the quick manor of their deaths, but he wanted those knives that they were going to steal from him. He quickly scooped them up and ran off unmolested. However, just as he was nearing the forest he spotted the small Tyrion Lannister stumbling around drunk. He didn't even know where he was. Ramsay saw an opportunity to enjoy his time in the arena by flaying him, but the arrow that killed Tyrion ruined all of his fun. Ramsay spotted it's source, the blonde haired Greyjoy boy as he was running away with his sister. Ramsay decided to follow them. He was going to get revenge, and instead of flaying a dwarf, he was going to flay the one that killed his prize.

Next Time: Dany runs into somebody unexpected, Sansa makes a deal, Ramsay trails the Greyjoys, Jon and Ygritte get hitched ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, your precious Starks have survived this day, and maybe even Jon Snow too, but Winter Is Coming, and these will be some pretty deadly Games. 
> 
> In other news, I regret not spending more time fleshing out all of the characters I killed this chapter. Basically they all died because I had nothing planned for them, with the exception of Brienne because I liked her, but oh well.   
> ~TheChuckles


	9. A Feast For Crows Part I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Several tributes begin to get a feel for how the Games are going to work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo...these next two chapters will be occurring at the same time, similar to how A Feast For Crows and A Dance With Dragons happen concurrently. Half of the characters will be covered this chapter, the rest in the next! :D   
> ~TheChuckles

** Daenerys **

The last Targaryen waited in the spot where Jorah told her to wait, even as it began to grow dark and strange noises from strange creatures filled the air. When they hadn't come back an hour after they left, Daenerys feared the worse. _They'll come back any second now_ , she kept telling herself as she struggled to stay warm. She grew hungry, but she had nothing to eat. She vaugely remembered a camping trip she took with Ned, Robb and Jon in the forests outside of District 12. They were supposed to be off-limits, but Ned was Mayor. She was the only girl brave enough to venture into the wilderness with them. After they couldn't find any food, they ended up eating the rough bark off of the trees until they eventually gave up and went home.

Dany considered peeling some bark off of a tree and chewing on it, but when she tried she found that the bark was half frozen. After what she judged was three hours of waiting, the sky began to grow darker. At that moment she all but knew that her protector Jorah Mormont and beloved brother Viserys were dead. Victims of Snow's evil punishment to cover up his own crimes. It dawned on her that she was now the last Targaryen, the last of a great dynasty that had lasted for generations and created a country that spanned the entire continent. If she died, so did the Targaryen line.

A loud cannon sounded unexpectedly. Daenerys reeled back from the tree and fell into the thick snow. As she brushed herself off, another cannon shot echoed around her. And then another. She counted eight in total. _What did they signal?_ It was almost fully dark now, was it eight at night? Is that what they meant?

Moments later, a shaky projection filled the night sky. The anthem of the Capitol blared through speakers hidden somewhere in the arena. Midway through the anthem pictures of the tributes started to be shown. A grouchy looking man was displayed first, Alliser Thorne, she recalled. He was followed by Joffery Baratheon, then his uncle Renly, Brienne, and Fat Sam. It was only when her brother and Jorah's pictures were shown did she truly understand what was going on.

They're all dead.

This was a way to show the remaining tributes who had died and who they were still up against. Dany felt a tear glide down her pale face, quickly followed by several more. She didn't weep, only suffered in silence. She was never the kind to outright burst into tears and make a big show of it. She had mastered the art of hiding her emotions, but her overwhelming sadness was breaking through her shield. It bothered her that there were millions of people watching her cry at that very moment. The tears began to freeze to her face, so Dany willed herself to stop letting them loose.

A branch snapped behind her.

This time Dany didn't fall into the snow. Instead, she whipped around to see a hulking shadow looming down on her.

"Get away!" She screamed as loud as she could. In her blind fear she shuffled backwards until her back hit a tree several feet away. The mystery man creeped closer until he was bearing down on Dany. She put her hands over her face as a weak last line of defense against the stranger. She could almost feel a blade slice her hands off and stab deep into her heart.

The blade never came.

"Shh, Daenerys, I'm not going to hurt you." Jaime Lannister said, his face becoming visible in the waning light. All of the fear left Dany with one big exhale. _I'm not going to die yet._

** The Hound  **

Sandor Clegane had to snap both arrows in half so he could pull them out of his leg. Once both were successfully removed, he moved quickly to bandage the wounds with the ripped off sleeve of his jacket. He tore the fabric into two pieces and tied each around one of the puncture wounds. _Fucking Greyjoys. I'll rape their bloody corpses._

The Hound needed the help of a tree to stand. He broke a large branch off to use as a walking stick, although when he tried to lean on it it snapped in half and sent him the snow. Instead he used his greatsword to balance himself as he hobbled forward. He had heard Ned Stark and his son utter his name as he dodged into the forest, he knew they were following him now for whatever reason.

The pictures of the dead were shown as Sandor was limping his way farther away from the Cornucopia. He gazed up, but he didn't care who had died. He needed to know who was still in the game. He wasn't surprised when he saw Jorah Mormont and Brienne among the dead, but Alliser Thorne was an unexpected face. There may be sixteen of us left, but only half are actually here to play the game.

Sandor heard hushed sobbing coming from his left. He stopped moving so he could hear the sound clearer. Definitely sobbing, coming from a little girl it sounded like. It could be a trap. The Hound had been in wars, he knew the kinds of games his enemies could play. Who was to say that Ramsay Bolton hadn't kidnapped one of Ned Stark's girls and was using them to get to him? Nonetheless, Sandor needed to find the source of the sound.

He hobbled to his left twenty feet until his sword hit rock beneath the snow. The only light left was that of the moon, but The Hound could still see the small cave in front of him. The entrance was hidden by a grouping of large rocks on all sides but one. The actual entrance went at a lax angle into the ground. It wasn't really a cave at all, more like an underground alcove shielded from the elements by rocks. The noises were coming from there.

The Hound listened long enough to determine that it wasn't a trap. This was usually the part where he would walk away now that he knew where the sound was coming from, but his feet wouldn't move. _Don't start getting soft on me now_ , his brother's words sang in his head as he recalled Gregor's strong hands pushing his face into the hot ashes. _Thank the gods there won't be much fire in the arena_ , thought Sandor.

No matter how much he tried, The Hound couldn't simply ignore what was happening below him. Not under these circumstances. He struggled to sit in the snow, making enough noise to silence those inside the alcove.

"I don't mean you any harm." Sandor said as he allowed himself to slide into the underground area. It was roughly 20 feet by 20 feet of open space occupied by two little girls huddled in the far corner, away from Sandor as far as possible. The red hair confirmed that the girl was Sansa Stark, and there was no doubt in his mind that the smaller girl was her sister Arya. All the color had drained out of their bodies when Sandor appeared.

"Don't worry, little dove, I just want to sleep here tonight. May I?" Neither Sansa nor Arya replied. _The poor things are scared half to death_. As a show of good faith, The Hound jammed his greatsword into the entrance to the alcove, which would prevent anybody else from entering without splitting themselves in two.

"I don't desire to hurt either of you. If I did, you'd both be dead already and i'd be fast asleep, okay?" The Hound slumped against the dirt wall and closed his eyes.

** Jon **

The sun was setting fast behind Jon and Ygritte as they hiked up a steep slope miles away from the Cornucopia and death. They had been moving for a solid two hours with no break, scooping snow from the ground to keep themselves hydrated. A trick that Ygritte didn't have to teach Jon Snow, who grew up in the coldest place in Panem.

"How much further?" Jon huffed when Ygritte had gotten 20 feet in front of him.

Ygritte surveyed the area. "This is a good a place as any. Let's see what we got in these bags." Both sat down and dumped the contents of their bags into the snow. Ygritte's contained a sleeping bag, a box of matches, an uncertain length of rope, a small pan, and a flashlight. Jon's backpack held a foldable tent, beef jerky, a lantern and two knives in a small case.

"I am not sleeping in that flimsy death box." Ygritte decreed when she saw the tent.

"What? Why not? You'd rather sleep in the snow?"

"I'm going to be sleeping _with_ the Snow soon enough." Ygritte winked, Jon blushed incredibly. "I won't be able to keep watch while in that thing. Somebody could set the damn thing on fire or drop a tree on it and we wouldn't know until we were dead." Jon couldn't argue with her point. Jon ripped the fabric off of the tent to lay on the ground as a layer of protection against the snow while Ygritte used the plastic rods from the tent to set a couple snares around their makeshift camp.

"So..." Jon started once Ygritte rejoined him at camp. "We're going to get married..." Saying it made Jon feel ridiculous.

"Yup." Was it him, or was Ygritte blushing a little bit as well?

"We don't exactly have someone who can marry us..."

"Did you really think we were going to follow your silly Panem customs, Jon Snow? You really do know nothing. Where I come from, if a man wants to be with a women, he has to track her down in a forest, catch her, and then claim her as his own. Sound simple enough?"

Jon gulped. "I suppose."

"Good." Ygritte jumped up and ran into the forest, kicking snow in Jon's face as she ran away giggling. By the time Jon could see again, she was nowhere to be seen. _This is insane_ , Jon thought as he stood up. _There are murderers and thieves running through these woods_. At the same time Jon had doubts, he felt adventurous. _What the hell, I don't have much to lose at the moment._

On that thought, Jon ran into the woods after Ygritte. He could clearly see her footprints in the deep snow, even as more snow fell from the sky. All he had to do was follow the indents in the snow and not crash into the trees surrounding him. _What would my father think right now?_ As Jon ran, he realized there was a chance he could run into his family out here. _Not like that matters anymore_. But Jon couldn't forget how Robb had saved him even after he dodged out of their Stark family alliance.

While lost in his thoughts, Jon suddenly realized that he had lost sight of the footsteps. He abruptly skidded to a stop and looked all around for them. There, behind him! He retraced his own steps until his footfalls were right on top of Ygritte's, but that's where hers stopped. _Where the hell did she go?_ Jon panicked for a moment until he heard laughter from above him. Ygritte was perched ten feet above him on a tree branch. She jumped to another tree and fell to the ground with grace. Jon was hot on her trail.

_Seven hells, she's fast_. Jon had a hard time staying behind her as she seamlessly weaved around the trees. At one point she even circled around a tree and ran right past him in the direction they came from, causing Jon to crash into the tree. He couldn't find it in him to be frustrated as he chased Ygritte, matter of fact he quite enjoyed it, but the longer they were out and about making noise, they were targets.

Jon finally got his golden opportunity when Ygritte tripped on one of her own snares and crashed into the ground. Jon couldn't stop his momentum and landed right on top of her. She tried to squirm away, but Jon held fast.

"Gotcha." He whispered with a cheeky grin plastered on his face. He turned Ygritte around so they were face to face, inches away from each other. She was smiling harder than Jon Snow was.

"Well, are you gonna bloody say it?" She asked after a minute of just staring at each other.

"Say what?" Jon had almost forgotten. "Oh! I claim you as my own."

"You actually might know something after all, Jon Sn-" Ygritte was cut off as Jon's lips met hers in fiery passion. She returned his vigor, pulling his head close and refusing to let go even as they both became short of breath. They both lost track of the time in the heat of the moment.

A sudden canon shot stopped both of them in their tracks.

Ygritte didn't welcome the abrupt intrusion very well. "What the bloody fuck is that?" Her words were drowned out by another canon. Six more followed, and then the Capitol anthem began to play. _Worst. Timing. Ever._ Jon thought bitterly as the sky filled up with the projections of the dead. The only two deaths that registered on his emotional scale were those of Brienne and Viserys, but he had time to mourn later.

** Ramsay **

For a little while the Greyjoys actually managed to evade Ramsay, but then again, they didn't even know he was trailing them. _I'm a bit rusty,_  Ramsay concluded when he finally found them against traveling into a valley. The sun was setting quickly, which meant it would be night soon. Ramsay considered himself a creature of the night. It was when everybody was most vulnerable.

_Let's see how many of these idiots decide to build fires_. _They just must want me to show up_. Ramsay Bolton had realized long ago that most people were brainless sheep. He thought of it his duty to become the shepherd, but the Capitol hadn't taken very kindly to that idea. It made Ramsay shutter to think how sloppy he had been on the night he had gotten caught. _Never again_.

Theon and Asha stopped and stared at the sky when the projections of dead people were shown. Ramsay considered striking then, but both of them had a bow with plenty of arrows. He would take out one, but the other could deal him damage. He showed restraint. They continued to walk for another half hour until they came upon a half frozen lake.

"We're setting up camp here, Theon. With the water at our backs, we won't have to worry about anything coming from that side." They set up camp, indeed lighting a fire to keep themselves warm. Ramsay had spent months in the cold dungeons of the Capitol, he didn't need fire to keep himself warm. He decided to climb a tree near the Greyjoy camp to sleep in. Far enough to say out of sight, but close enough to strike at a moments notice.

Next Time: The Starks assess their situation, Stannis seeks vengeance, Oberyn and Loras have a chat, the hostages in the Capitol react to the opening day of the games.


	10. A Feast For Crows Part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Starks, Oberyn, Loras, and Stannis recover from the Bloodbath. This chapter is happening at the same time as the last one!! :D   
> ~TheChuckles

** Stannis Baratheon **

It had been a long time since Stannis Baratheon had been in the game. After he successfully put a rebel fleet to the torch and saved the Capitol from his brother Robert 15 years prior, President Snow had made him Mayor of District 7. Without a war to fight or troops to lead, Stannis had gotten soft when it came to combat. That was why he didn't actively pursue the Starks when he saw them leave the Cornucopia. They would outnumber him.

But the snowy forest wasn't at all unlike the forests of District 7 when winter came. Stannis made sure to frequently visit the lumber camps around his district to keep morale high. Sometimes when he didn't have anything else to do, he would even join the men in cutting down trees. _Now the only thing I have to worry about is the damn people in the forest with me._

If only Ned Stark hadn't been stupid enough to send his wife to negotiate with him, Stannis wouldn't be stuck in the arena or associated with the rebels at all. He would be back in the safety of his mansion, with his wife Selyse and daughter Shireen, with Robert's only son Joffrey and the people of District 7. Sitting at home watching foolish Ned Stark freeze in some far away arena. _But here I am, stuck in the same bloody arena as that traitor Ned Stark._

Stannis stalked through the forest until he judged he had put 3 miles between the Cornucopia and himself. He emptied out his backpack to find a sleeping bag, a pair of weird sunglasses, a hefty amount of dried fruit and crackers, and a metal water container, empty. Stannis took the container and filled it with snow so it would melt into water. He tried on the sunglasses, noticing they were for night vision.

Just as the sun began to fall beneath the trees, a series of canons shot, silencing all the wildlife in the area. Stannis stood up, bloodied mace in hand, but it quickly became apparent there was no threat. A projection of the Capitol seal filled the sky, followed by the anthem. A picture of Alliser Thorne was shown for a brief time. _They're showing us who's dead_ , Stannis realized.

Renly Baratheon's image filled the dusk sky.

Stannis felt emotion, a searing pain burning through his chest upon the realization his brother was dead, but he didn't cry. Not until his nephew Joffrey appeared in the sky next. _My last connection to Robert, gone_. Two of the most important people in his life ripped from him in one day. For the first time in his life, Stannis didn't care what others thought of him as he sobbed into the snow. The bitter steel shell had broken. He may have shown no love to Renly, but he cared deeply for him. _He always wanted to be like Robert_ , Stannis recalled. Renly was never destined to lead, but that didn't stop him from living life to its fullest.

_Stark did this_. _He persuaded my brother to join him and sent his wife to persuade me_. Stannis wiped his tears away as the steel shell enveloped him once more. He packed all of his belongings into his backpack and set out. Where he was going, he did not know, but there was only one thing on his mind.

_Stark will pay_.

** Catelyn **

"She tried to protect me, even in death. May Brienne's soul rest in peace." Catelyn Stark said into the fire, teary eyed.

"We will make them pay. All of them. Whoever shot Brienne, anybody that dares harass my sisters, President Snow, they will all pay for their treason with death." Robb said bitterly. "We need to find Arya and Sansa."

"We will, Robb, we will. But it's dark and there are creatures that will no doubt be lurking in the forest. They're still okay, they weren't up in the sky." Ned said, reassuring Robb with a pat on the back.

_I could never see my girls again_. There was no guarantee that Cat would lay eyes upon her Sansa and Arya ever again. _Not while they're alive at least_. Catelyn dreaded looking up one night to see her daughters light up the night sky. The only hope she had of seeing Bran and Rickon ever again would be if she somehow survived the trial. _Ned and Robb can protect me, and they can protect the girls too._

As her and Ned settled into the small tent they scored inside one of the backpacks, Catelyn found herself thinking of Jon Snow. _He's not dead yet, either_. She didn't know how she felt about that. Ever since Ned came home from the Capitol with a baby in his arms after putting down Robert's Rebellion, Catelyn had hated the child. She didn't care that he was innocent and did not deserve her scorn. She had hated how Ned raised him as one of his own with her children. He was not a Stark, nor would he ever be a Stark.

_That was why he abandoned us,_ Catelyn realized. _Staying in an alliance with us meant that he could never hope to win, unless the rest of us were dead_. His last name is Snow, not Stark. _He was always the smart one_.

The cold of the arena seeped into Catelyn's bones, but she had her Ned to keep her toasty warm while Robb took watch outside. _16 of us left, lets see how many of them come after us_.

** Oberyn Martell **

The night was dark and full of terrors, but the Red Viper feared none of them. He judged that most of his competition set up camp somewhere they thought was safe and dozed off. _Nowhere is safe from me_. Oberyn had sorted through all of his supplies, only keeping what was valuable to him. All of the food, spare spearheads, a lethal looking dagger, rope, and night vision goggles.

Oberyn didn't quite know who he was going to target first. He could go the safe route and hunt down his biggest threats, Loras Tyrell and The Hound, or he could sniff out the Starks and take his revenge for putting his family at risk. There was no doubt in his mind that President Snow had his daughters hostage, perhaps even his wife Ellaria or his brother Quentyn. _Thank the gods there's only one Martell in here_.

Trudging through the snow sucked, but even with that hinderance Oberyn could easily defend himself from an attack...

A branch snapped somewhere behind Oberyn. He analyzed the threat in a split second and made the decision to keep walking as if he didn't hear it. That way, his attacker would think they had the advantage, but in reality Oberyn did. He tightened his grip on his spear. Within moments he heard sloppy footfalls closing in behind him, his signal to attack.

Oberyn whipped around in an instant, kicking his leg into the snow and into his opponent's face. He tackled the mystery man, pinned him in the snow, and prepared to deliver the finishing blow. The tip of his spear grazed Loras Tyrell's throat, which begged to be cut open.

"You're sloppy." Oberyn noted, slapping Loras' short sword out of his hand out of his reach. "Didn't your fat daddy ever teach you how to track?"

"Go to hell, snake." Loras spat. Oberyn allowed his spear to draw blood, but stopped short of killing the young boy below him. That was one of Oberyn's redeeming qualities, mercy.

"I know how good you are with that sword of yours. Some even dare to claim you are a better fighter than myself. Fools. But, you have skill nonetheless. If I release you, will you promise not to try to kill me or run away?"

"What? You'd let me live?" Loras sounded surprised.

"Take it or leave it, kid."

"Fine, I promise." Oberyn was still wary, but Loras kept his word and didn't run away or attack when Oberyn got off of him. He slowly stood up, eyeing the sword that was out of his reach. He knew he was trapped and he knew that Oberyn knew it as well.

"We don't have the same last name, so there is no way we can both hope to exit this arena alive. However, it's not against the rules to team up and destroy the competition so us two can fight to the death at the end." Oberyn said, wiping the small amount of blood from his spear.

Loras asked "And if I don't accept?"

"You would deny me, boy? We both know that we're the best killers in this arena. You don't want to improve your chances?"

"No, it would only improve yours. As soon as I let my guard down, you'd shove that spear straight through my throat. My answer is no." Oberyn was seething in rage, but he didn't kill the boy when he dodged his sloppy strike with a spear to grab his short sword. They squared off. Oberyn gained ground on Loras, but just as he went for the death blow Loras kicked him in the stomach, a move the Red Viper didn't expect.

In return, Oberyn ripped the dagger from his coat and sliced through Loras' jacket into his stomach. The cut was shallow, but Loras definitely felt the sharp kiss of the blade. Oberyn drove the dagger deep into the right thigh of his enemy. Loras shrieked in pain, swinging wildly with his sword. He chopped Oberyn's spear in two and cut into his arm. The Red Viper had no choice but to let Loras run away into the night.

The cut was shallow enough, but it bled enough to require Oberyn to cut the sleeve off of his shirt and wrap it around the wound. His spear was ruined, but he could get another from the Cornucopia. He realized his dagger was still with Loras, stuck in his thigh. _Weaponless and wounded, but I always loved being the underdog_.

** The Hostage Room **

The moment that "Ladies and gentlemen, let the 1st Annual Hunger Games begin!" blared from the television, all of the hostages had been glued to that screen in the living room of their penthouse. The bloodbath had been short and brutal, but it left a few of them in tears. Selyse Baratheon shrieked when her brother-in-law Renly was killed with an axe by Brienne. She shielded her eyes and the eyes of her daughter Shireen, but the moment they opened them the first thing she witnessed was Oberyn Martell slaughtering Joffrey.

She collapsed into tears at that point, not bothering to pay attention to the rest of the bloodbath. Obara Sand, Oberyn's first born daughter, stopped rooting for her dad when he killed Joffrey. She didn't want to be rude and rub it in Selyse's face, but she continued to silently support him.

Roose Bolton nodded in silent approval when his son Ramsay killed Jorah Mormont and Viserys Targaryen. _My son killed one of the last of a dying breed_. The only Targaryen remaining was Daenerys because his son killed her brother. Roose couldn't have been more proud of Ramsay. At least until he flayed one of the Greyjoy siblings. _That would make for great television,_ Roose thought.

Tywin Lannister and his daughter Cersei sat at the far back of the room, by the bar in the kitchen. They rooted for Jaime as he survived the bloodbath, and secretly rejoiced as Tyrion was killed by Theon Greyjoy. He had been the bane of the family for years; both were happy to finally be rid of him. However, both didn't like when Jaime teamed up with Daenerys Targaryen later on in the night. _His insolence will reflect badly on me_ , Tywin knew.

All Selyse could do was watch as her beloved husband Stannis sobbed upon finding out Renly and Joffrey were dead. She silently willed him to stop when he gathered his things and began to stalk the dark woods. She was thankful when the camera cut to the interaction between Oberyn Martell and Loras Tyrell.

Mace audibly gasped when Loras was stabbed with the dagger, but clapped like a seal when he broke Oberyn's spear and retreated. All three Sand Snakes shot glares his way, silencing his boisterous ways.

Bran and Rickon Stark were both relieved when they finally saw their parents setting up camp on the TV screen. That was the last thing both saw as it was almost midnight by that point and they had dozed off. Two peacekeepers brought their sleeping forms to their room and tucked them in.

Little did they know what horrors the next couple days would bring.

Next Time: Stannis finds what he's looking for, Jaime and Dany battle an unforgiving climate, Jon and Ygritte get to know each other better, Robb gains a lead on his missing sisters, Ramsay finally gets to have a little bit of fun.


	11. Our Knives Are Sharp

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Several tributes begin to develop the mindset they need in order to survive in The Hunger Games.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO SO SO SORRY FOR NOT POSTING IN FOREVER!!!! I promise i'll try to get back on a more semi-regular schedule!! :D  
> ~TheChuckles

** Ramsay  **

Ramsay found his golden opportunity in the early hours of the morning. Asha Greyjoy had been keeping watch for the better part of the night, but when she retired to her sleeping bag, Theon had to take watch. He stayed vigilant for an hour or so, but soon he was fast asleep. Ramsay couldn't believe his luck.

He snuck down from his tree, careful not to make any loud noises. _He's mine. All I have to do it claim him_. The snow made wet, sloshing sounds underneath his boots, but yet Theon did not stir from his slumber. Their fire was reduced to a pile of lazy embers--the perfect amount of light for Ramsay to seize his prize.

Theon was slumped against a tree, his shallow breath was visible in the frigid winter air. Ramsay crouched by the waning fire to warm his hands. He inspected the young Greyjoy from up close; no doubt he would be fun to torture. He couldn't wait to make Theon's wispy blonde hair run red with blood as he flayed him from head to toe. _But before I kill him, I must have my revenge_. Perhaps revenge was the only thing that prevented Ramsay from killing Theon outright. Or maybe it was his yearn for fun.

Ramsay made sure to securely tie Theon's hands and feet before he abruptly punched the boy in the throat. Theon made a short gurgling sound, his eyes flashed open in horror, but by the time he knew what had happened, he was unconscious. _Perfect_. He proved to be lighter than he looked; Ramsay had no troubles carrying Theon over his shoulder on his way deep into the woods. Judging from the position of the moon, he had about maybe 3 hours before Asha got her act together and started to pursue.

"I think i'll start with your pretty face..." Ramsay said to himself more than Theon as he stalked through the haunting forest.

** Dany  **

The haziness of sleep deprivation began to creep into Dany's vision--she had a few run-ins with several different trees she could've sworn didn't exist until they flattened her face. After she nearly broke her nose on a particularly thick tree, Jaime began to guide her through the darkened forest. His life in the arena so far had been constant fear it seemed, whether it be in regard of his own life or scanning the surrounding area for danger or keeping Daenerys' spirits up by quietly telling funny stories as they trotted through the night. She appreciated that.

But even now, a splosh of light blue was making itself known in the eastern sky. It would be morning soon, and Dany didn't know if that was good or bad. She absolutely hated darkness-she was deathly terrified of it-but with the light would come enemies that could now spot her more easily.

Dany tugged on Jaime's coat sleeve. "Jaime, where are we going?"

"To the Cornucopia." He answered in a tired, breathless voice. His walking didn't falter one bit.

"Why there?"

Jaime came to a stop, more to catch his breath than anything else. "Because, Daenerys, we'll have shelter there. I doubt anybody else will go back to the place where this started-it's too predictable. That's exactly why we're going." His eyes wandered through the trees great and small for a long moment before resuming his march to the Cornucopia.

"Could there be supplies there still?"

"Maybe." Jaime responded, albeit doubtfully.

They reached the death-filled clearing that the nightmare of the Games had begun just as the sun pierced the horizon in its golden-orange magnificence. Daenerys hadn't seen very much if any of the bloodshed, but she noticed with wide eyes the crimson blood that stained the pristine white snow. From the moment she found out where they were going, a lump formed in her throat regarding the status of her brother Viserys' body. She felt bittersweet when she realized all of the bodies had been taken away.

Suddenly, Daenerys became curious. "Jaime, did you kill anybody-"

"Shh! There could be somebody nearby." Jaime whispered harshly. Both of the tributes quietly surveyed the clearing and the early parts of the forest for anything, but all was still in the early morning light. Finally, Jaime breathed a sigh or relief.

"I think we're safe." He told his companion with a toothy smile. His smile caused Dany to smile-something she didn't imagine herself ever doing again.

The Cornucopia turned out to have a little bit of treasure left after all: tents with self-heating sleeping bags, basic kitchenware, and a lonely hatchet laying in the snow. Jaime used some string from his backpack to set a few quick snares for possible game, and also to ensnare any possible enemies before they could do harm himself or the young Targaryen.

While he was gone, Daenerys became familiar with the hatchet. She admired its sharp edge and pristine color while enveloped by one of the sleeping bags. The toast warm confines of the bag brought some life back into her limbs. By the time Jaime got back, she was inspecting the walls of their temporary home.

Jaime took out a clear plastic bag from his backpack containing dried fruits. He didn't have to call Dany over because the mere sight of food sent her stomach into a series of growls that mirrored those of a wild grizzly.

"We should try to conserve this." Jaime said between huge mouthfuls of apple. Neither paid heed to his words. Within 10 minutes all of the fruit was gone, but their stomachs were full.

"You go on and get some sleep." Jaime said wearily. "I'll keep watch for a couple hours, and then we'll switch."

"But Jaime, you're just as tired as me." Dany complained.

"I can make it a little bit longer. Get some sleep. It looks like those sleeping bags are quite comfy." Dany felt guilty, but her body's need for sleep won out.

Just as she had settled in, she heard a loud howl from nearby.

Dany shot up out of the warm sleeping bag in terror. That had been a wolf, there was no doubt about it. Jaime had clearly heard it as well; he had his sword drawn and at the ready. Nothing stirred from their vantage point inside the Cornucopia, but they were blind from all other sides.

_Please just go away, stupid wolves._

They didn't go away.

At first she only saw snow being kicked up in the distance, but in less than a minute the grey bodies of five wolves became increasingly visible. The small pack stopped 10 feet from where Jaime stood. Five ghastly creatures bared their fangs, poised to kill. Eyes as red as the blood staining the snow, the wolves stared down their next meal.

Dany grabbed the hatchet she played with earlier as she stood a couple feet behind Jaime. She knew that a healthy Jaime Lannister could easily slay these beasts, but after wandering the forest all night with no sleep, she doubted he would survive.

The first wolf, the leader perhaps, closed the gap between hunter and hunted in a single leap. It was met with the upswing of Jaime's sword in battle that ended as soon as it started. The sword cleanly cut through the wolf like a knife through butter, slaying the beast. That didn't stop the other four from attacking, however, as now they met Jaime with severe rage.

He managed to slay one more before one of the wolves clawed deep into his arm. Several gashes began to ooze blood, but it was as if Jaime couldn't even feel it. He sliced the head off another wolf, slowing his pace considerably. While he was battling two of the remaining three, the last one weaseled its way past his defense and lunged at Dany.

She was tackled into the snow by force. Instantly two sharp rows of teeth snarled inches away from her terrified face. She knew she had milliseconds to react, or she would die. Gripping the hatchet tightly she hacked blindly into the wolf's body. It shrieked as one of its legs came off clean. It stumbled into the snow, disoriented for a second before it leaped awkwardly for Dany.

Both paws dug into her chest. Razor sharp claws left cuts just below her neck and even one running along her cheek. The wolf snarled again; a desperate, guttural sound that filled Dany's ears. She screamed, swinging the hatchet into the face of her attacker. Blood sprayed her face, but the wolf stumbled back. Its head was hacked off by Jaime, who was bleeding from several different cuts.

"Are you okay?" He asked Dany, blood dripping from his sword.

"Yeah..." She whispered.

"Good." Jaime said with all of his strength, collapsing into the snow out of exhaustion.

**Robb Stark** "Footprints, here!" Robb called to his parents. They hurriedly scurried to where he was, just a couple yards away. "Don't these appear to be Sansa's, or at least those of Arya?"

Ned Stark looked at the indents in the snow with dread. _Those could be anybody's_ , he realized. There was a small chance they belonged to his daughters. He said this much to Robb.

"How could we have lost them?" He yelled, punching the nearest tree in rage. "Of all places in the world, why here?!" The stress of finding food and being watchful of enemies and worrying about his sister's had Robb in a frantic state. Anything he saw he believed to be a clue, some sort of evidence that his sisters were alive and nearby.

"Robb, stop!" Catelyn commanded in her motherly voice. She too was heartbroken, but she had to hold all of her despair in for her son. For if he saw her in that kind of state, he would lose his mind. "We will keep searching, and we will find Arya and we will find Sansa. And after that, we will find a secluded corner in this god forsaken landscape and survive while the rest of these animals murder each other! Do you hear me?"

Ned put a gentle hand on his wife to calm her. Robb, however, seemed to off of the deep end. He stomped his way through the snow, searching with eyes blurry with tears for his sisters. His reckless rampage sent him careening down a low hill and into a thick tree, where he rolled into a ball and screamed and wept. Catelyn and Ned watched from the top of the hill as their son was in a state of mental collapse. There was nothing they could do to ease his pain while they themselves had to fight their own pain.

Robb eventually calmed down enough to stand, using the tree to keep himself steady. He wiped tears out of his eyes while looking at the snow. Little droplets of blood surrounded a broken arrow not 10 feet from where Robb stood. He examined it, trying to recall who had been shot with an arrow. It came to him suddenly in a rush.

_Sandor Clegane!_

** Jon Snow **

_The woods were pitch black; Jon always hated the darkness. Even the light of the moon, how small it may have been, was blotted out by the clouds. Ygritte had been lost when there was still light, in the rage of a blizzard. Jon had spent the rest of the day and deep into the night searching for her. She was his key to surviving-physically and emotionally._

_Some great force took Jon off of his feet. What felt like antlers dug into his chest, piercing his ribs and ripping open his heart--_

"Gahh!" Jon awoke with a scream. The poor child was covered in a fine sheen of cold sweat. In response, Ygritte kicked her new husband in the shin for waking her up.

"You bloody idiot! What the hell was that?!" Ygritte growled in a sleepy haze.

"Just...a bad dream..." Jon stampered in a failing attempt to regain a little composure. He sat up, in the process letting a good portion of his sleeping bag slide off his body. The morning wind was unforgiving on his bare skin. As he reached for his shirt and winter coat, he failed to notice a shadowy figure watching him from behind a tree nearby...

Next Time: Theon undergoes a major transformation, Jon and Ygritte find themselves in a unfortunate situation, The Hound shows some compassion, the hostages react to the latest installment of the Games, while Snow makes some evil plans. Somebody will die. :) ~TheChuckles


	12. Capitol Punishment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Games become even more deadly...

**Sandor Clegane **

The Hound awoke when the sun was well into the sky. From his judgement by peeking through the entrance to the dirt alcove, it was a little before noon. _12 hours and nobody has tried to kill me. That's a first._

The two Stark girls were fast asleep on the opposite side of the dirt room, still huddled as far away from Sandor as they could get. _Poor things_. The Hound stood up and attempted to stretch, but the ceiling met his forehead head on when he tried to stand. He pulled his giant greatsword from the dirt and climbed into the snow above.

After properly stretching and allowing himself time to wake up, he surveyed his surroundings. It had appeared to snow last night, or maybe all of the god damned white stuff was messing with Sandor's mind--he wasn't sure which. All he knew for sure was that he was now somehow responsible for Sansa and Arya Stark...

And he was hungry. 

A quick ten minute journey within a hundred yards of his home yielded two fat snow hares. Both tried to blend into the snow, but Sandor was too fast and his greatsword was too long. He broke several branches off of several trees, enough to start and maintain a fire long enough to cook his catch. He worried about his competitors seeing the smoke his fire created, but The Hound doubted any of them could take him one on one.

The smell from the cooking meat was intoxicating, so intoxicating in fact that Sandor noticed two small heads peaking out from the alcove.

"Don't be afraid now." Sandor called to the girls. "I don't want to hurt either of you." 

It took them a solid five minutes, but eventually Arya and Sansa Stark emerged from their hiding place and sat at the opposite end of the fire. The Hound knew that if they were attacked, and he weren't there to defend them, they'd be easier to kill than turkeys. He wanted to just leave them there to freeze or get killed, but another, softer part of Sandor resisted.

When the hares were done cooking, he offered one to Sansa. "Here, take it girl. I'm sure you're both famished." They didn't need him to tell it again. The hare he gave them was devoured in minutes, faster than Sandor ate his. _I'm fucking out of my mind_ , Sandor thought as he gave the rest of his to Arya.

"Thank you" both the girls whispered.

** Ygritte **

Ygritte should have seen Stannis Baratheon coming sooner. 

That whole morning, she had an off feeling in her stomach. She scanned the forest numerous times as Jon attempted to talk to her over their miniscule morning fire. Several times there were unnatural sounds that she failed to detect the source for, but Jon's constant blabbing had lulled her away from her vigilance. She almost couldn't blame him, he was gorgeous.

She also should have been aware that Jon Snow, even if his last name didn't quite reveal it, was a Stark by blood. Stannis Baratheon could attribute every single wrong suffered by him within the last week to Ned Stark, so of course if he came across Ned's bastard son he'd take action.

"Watch out!" Ygritte screamed once she saw Stannis within striking distance of Jon. He swung his mace with great force for her lover's skull, but she tackled Jon out of the way. Stannis's blow instead struck the nearest tree. Ygritte ripped her hunting knife from its sheath, looking for the kill shot. She wielded the knife like a master, dodging and weaving around Stannis as he frantically retreated, blocking with his mace along the way.

Her opening came when Stannis accidentally backed himself against a tree. As he moved to the right, she stabbed his left hand so hard the blade lodged itself in the bark of the tree. The ex-military commander let out a howl of pain. He was trapped. Ygritte's killer instinct stirred like never before. She always savored the moment before the kill.

"Jon, grab those knives-" Stannis kicked her in the stomach with enough force to knock the wind out of her petite form. She rolled away from his reach in search of air. Through her blurry vision, she witnessed Jon running for Stannis in a blaze of fury and vengeance. Stannis readied his mace with his free hand, while blood gushed from the hand currently pinned to the tree.

"NO!" Ygritte screamed, but Jon Snow didn't hear her. The ever wily Stannis Baratheon ducked Jon's futile attempt at a stab, crashing his mance into Jon's ribs instead. Ygritte bolted to her feet and sprinted for Stannis, but by the time she had arrived Jon was in the snow soaking in his own blood. His attacker ripped the blade from his hand and retreated into the forest. 

The fiery red haired warrior chased him for a few minutes out of pure rage, but she knew he wouldn't come back for at least a couple hours. His hand was badly damaged, and was in no shape of forming another attack.

_JON!_

__She ran back to a horrifying scene. The amount of blood coming from Jon's crushed ribs oversaturated the snow surrounding him. Ygritte fell to her knees at his side, Jon Snow's shallow breathing excruciating to listen to. But she knew she must listen to it. It was a reminder of what she must do to Stannis Baratheon. He killed just a child, a boy of only 15. _He was always so sweet..._

A raging tidal wave of emotions over came her as she watched Jon die. She knew that no matter what she did, he was already to far gone. Because she had foolishly chased his attacker when she knew deep down Stannis would not return with an injured hand. Jon's eyes closed, his breaths became even more shallow, and Ygritte couldn't hold herself together. _Stannis, if you're still here, kill me now._

When the cannon sounded, Ygritte bent down to kiss her Jon good night for the last time.

** Ramsay **

Ramsay decided he hated the snow.

Not only was it cold and bitter and hard to trek through, it held the impression of his footprints as he dragged Theon through the winter wasteland. Ramsay had no doubt now that Asha had awoken to see her beloved little brother disappeared. He also had no doubt that she was following his sloppy trail that the snow guranteed was left in his wake. 

By the time the sun was high in the bleak blue sky, Ramsay had found the perfect place to conduct his torture of Theon. A steep incline of 50 feet stood in front of the sadistic Bolton, boulders and trees as big as automobiles blocking the bottom half of the hill off from all sides but one. After he squeezed through the meek entrance between the large rocks, a decent sized cave presented itself on the left. The dark hole was hidden from the outside, unless somebody happened to travel down the hill itself.

"Perfect..." Ramsay purred, dragging his prize into his new den. This apparent holy place was even devoid of Ramsay's newfound hatred--snow. The baneful white substance was nowhere to be seen. _Not much different from my lair back in the Capitol._ Theon was absentmindedly tossed to the side while his soon-to-be torturer got to work.

He drove four spikes from a rock climbing set he had found into a rectangular form on the flattest side of the cave. Using the heavy duty rope that also came with the rock climbing set, Ramsay secured a section of it to each spike, and then to one of Theon's limbs. The final result was his catch hanging from the wall like a giant human X just waiting to be flayed. Ramsay found his mouth watering at the idea.

As the sun of the second day began to set, Ramsay decided he needed a fire. Not to warm him or Theon up from the frigid winter, but as a light source. He broke off several armfulls of branches and driftwood from the hill above. While he was up there, he also decided to set a couple snares in the event of Asha Greyjoy or some other stupid person discovering Ramsay while he was having fun.

Alas, Ramsay came across a problem. Not all of the branches were small enough to fit into a small fire. Ever crafty, he thought up a most divine idea almost instantly. After removing Theon's jacket and shirt, he saw a surface fit for breaking branches into little pieces--Theon's chest.

The first branch snapped with a glorious smacking sound of wood on human flesh. That certainly woke Theon up, albeit not in the way he quite expected. Upon waking, the force of the branch drove the breathe out of his lungs, leaving him in shock. He tried to move his arms and legs, but found them to be secured against the chilling stone. 

"Who are yo-" Theon's first words were interrupted by another branch to the chest.

"Why?!" Theon screamed, his chest beginning to turn red. Ramsay withheld another branch to answer his question. "Because you stole my kill! I wanted to flay the dwarf, but you took him from me!" Another branch echoed off of Theon's chest, and another, and another, until Ramsay had a nice fire burning deep in the cave.

At this point, the young Greyjoy was sobbing. Several of the branch marks on his chest began to bleed, and it was becoming increasingly uncomfortable to be restrained to the wall.

"Oh don't worry, Reek," Ramsay began, noticing his prey's discomfort. He stepped up to his face with a flaying knife pressed lightly to Theon's cheek. "I haven't even gotten started."

Theon screamed. 

** The Red Viper **

As the final light of the glorious sun left him, Oberyn Martell was ready to go on the hunt once again. The entirety of the second day had been used to heal his wounds, save his energy, and ready new weapons. The thick branches of the thick trees thickly bunched around the arena made for excellent spears.

Oberyn was excellent with excellent spears. 

His first target was the nubile Loras Tyrell. The Red Viper couldn't believe he had let that little boy get the upper hand on him, a man skillfully trained in the art of the kill. _He was simply lucky_ , the Viper told himself as he sharpened his spears. _He will be the first to feel the wrath of The Red Viper. Then, onto the treacherous Ned Stark._

As usual it seemed, the sky was illuminated with the dead before the night could finally begin. Oberyn observed the face of Ned Stark's bastard son Jon Snow, the lonely dead among the living. This didn't necessarily surprise Oberyn, but he didn't feel any joy from witnessing it. _At least he didn't perish by my doing_. Oberyn didn't kill boys. 

Unless their name was Loras Tyrell. 

** The Glorious President **

Corionalous Snow was absolutely delighted by the turn of events on the second day of his Games. Ramsay was doing a surprisingly magnificent job at keeping the audience enthralled with his actions. The Hound taking care of the Stark girls irritated him more than slightly, but that would change with a little fire thrown at him come the morrow.

"The second day of these Games has drawn to a close." Snow said to his group of hostages, in various stages of disarray. The only ones not present were the two Stark boys, and for good reason. Their beloved bastard brother had been executed by Stannis Baratheon of all bloody people. What made it better was the reaction of his family upon seeing his stupid face in the night sky.

Ned Stark had dulled his sword against the nearest tree, alongside his idiot son Robb as his wife Catelyn watched from the distance. _Oh stop it, bitch, we all know you hated him anyways._ Selyse and Shireen Baratheon hadn't taken kindly to seeing their precious Stannis kill, the President knew, because he had been in the room when it happened.

_Oh, how I love The Hunger Games._

**Somewhere Near The Arena... ** The crackle of electricity became more and more intense as the man drew nearer to the force field containing the rebels to the winter arena. The snow was thickly frozen, but he had boots designed for that kind of weather. He had come from the north, the snow was something he had grown up with.

"Is the charge ready?" The tall beast of a man asked, watching the morphed appearance the force field gave. 

"Not for another twelve hours or so, bossman." 

The red haired man cursed, imagining the increasingly cold conditions he would have to wait through. However, Tormund Giantsbane had suffered worse. 

Next Time: Asha searches for her brother, Stannis plans his next move, Oberyn runs into a familiar face, The Hound prepares for a fight while Tormund lurks somewhere outside the arena, and President Snow conjures up more evil plans. :D

~TheChuckles 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forgive me ;)   
> ~TheChuckles


	13. Remember

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Starks face a daunting task, while several others struggle to survive.

**Asha Greyjoy**

The empty crackles of a dying fire stirred Asha Greyjoy from her light slumber. The crisp morning air stung the exposed skin on her face. The rising sun temporarily blinded her.

"Theon, put more wood on the fire." She ordered with closed eyes. For a night spent in frozen hell, Asha felt like she had gotten a marvelously nice night of sleep. The idea didn't sit right in the core of her stomach. Theon should have woken her up before the sun had even thought about rising into the sky.

"Theon! Put more wood on the fire!" Asha ordered a second time. Silence answered her demand. _That idiot is sleeping!_ Pulling the tent flap open, Asha stuck her head into the early morning wind.

There was no Theon to be seen.

"Theon!" Asha called, growing more concerned by the moment. She searched the surrounding land in growing haste. There was no Theon to be seen. All that was apparent to her were the fresh imprints in the snow. _Boots. And definitely not Theon's._ Those feet that made those marks were bigger than her little brother's.

_He has been captured._ The mere idea that one of the monsters trapped in the arena with her had taken her baby brother from right under her nose seemed repulsive. She channeled that raw, inner sadness to pure rage.

Asha Greyjoy armed for war, like she had many a times before.

_I'm coming Theon._

**The Mighty Stag**

The blood of an innocent boy stained the hand of the once loyal and just Stannis Baratheon.

_He would have died anyways_ , Stannis told himself throughout the course of the night. When the image of Jon Snow taunted him in the sky as complete darkness swallowed the arena, Stannis had to look away in shame. His weary hands trembled with the might of a great stag as it bled out. There was nothing he could do to reverse the course of that day's events.

Just deal with it. Selyse and Shireen need me.

Sleep delayed its arrival for Stannis Baratheon that night; the moon was high in the sky when he finally passed out. A dream of spring enveloped him into a sense of false security. He was relaxing with his beautiful family in a wonderful meadow far away from the grief stricken forests he had once controlled. Birds chirped a magnificent lullaby as the sun kissed his skin. Stannis basked in all of its golden glory.

The harsh winds of winter sharply woke him from his peaceful slumber. The night was still in force, but a hint of light was making itself visible in the east. Stannis attempted to sit up, but the force of the wind shoved him back into the snow. In turn, the snow that was kicked up by this disturbance began to blow in the wind, spiralling in wild circles around the lone Baratheon.

With a mighty show of force, Stannis finally stood his ground in the center of a growing storm of wind and snow. The spiral closed in on him rapidly, until every single one of his senses was jammed with snow. All he could see was the blinding white fury of the hellish substance. All he could hear was the wicked howling of the wind. The snow assaulted his winter gear until it was soaking wet.

Stannis tried to scream, but his open mouth was stuffed full of snow the moment he tried to make a sound. The harsh whirlwind around him intensified to the point where he was lifted off of his steady feet. His mind was swirling faster than the tornado around him. He was powerless to do anything but hope he wouldn't die. He couldn't die. Too much depended on his survival.

A vision of Selyse formed in the snow. Stannis couldn't determine if it was real or not, but he reached for it vainly. He whispered her name in his mind, shedding a single tear.

Suddenly, the vortex disappeared.

Stannis returned to the ground in a crumpled heap, hurt but alive. He deemed the "natural disaster" a weapon used by President Snow to torment him. Perhaps it was to punish him for killing that poor boy less than a day ago. Or, maybe, it was an angry call for more blood.

"I killed the wrong one." Stannis concluded, his brain warped by Snow.

**Ned Stark** The second night of the Games brought a flood of grief unto Ned Stark. He had looked up in that god forsaken sky at the call of the anthem to see which of his competition, if any, had perished. Instead, he saw the innocent face of his son reflect off of the stars. He was so surprised he had to blink several times, but by the time his eyes had cleared the picture was gone and the anthem was over with.

"Tell me I didn't just see that," Ned looked to his wife, who couldn't hide her bitter astonishment. "Cat, please. Say something."

"He's gone. Our...your son is dead, Ned. I'm so sorry."

Ned's core turned bitter towards his wife in that moment. "Don't patronize me!" He screamed, storming off into the dark woods armed with his sword. He heard the faint calls of Catelyn behind him, but Ned blocked them out in his venomous rage. The nearest tree served perfectly to attack.

Uneven chips of wood and bark went flying in every direction. The gleaming sword with the deadly sharp edge began to dull against the thick canvas it was hacking away. Ned's arms grew weak after some time, his blade was dulled to the extent of a training sword, but he continued to beat that tree with all of the rage he had ever possessed. _My son is dead. My daughters are missing. And I am powerless to do anything about it._

"Father!" Robb's voice cut through the hate-fueled rage boiling inside his father. Ned withheld his assault on the tree momentarily. He looked upon his son with a distant glare, unfocused and wild.

"We have to find the Hound while we still can. I've found him, father! I've found him and the girls!"

Tears spilled down Ned's grime stained face, tears of happiness or pain he would never know. "I need to sharpen my sword." Ned concluded in a vain attempt to regain his composure. As much as he felt the need to fall apart completely, his sheer will to go on brought him back from the dark place he had been.

The nearest rock served as a whetstone, although Ned kept loosing grip of it and loosing the round object in the snow. The only light he had to work with was the eerie white glow emanating from the stars. It was too dangerous to start an actual fire.

"Are you ready, father?" Robb Stark asked his dad cautiously. By this point Ned had recovered enough to fake it.

"As ready as I can get, Robb." Ned answered honestly. "We have to be quick, and quiet. Sandor Clegane is a skilled swordsman, don't you forget that. He may be a savagely brutal killer, but he knows his way around a fight. With the two of us, we should be able to take him if we're smart about it. Where is he hiding?"

**Sandor Clegane**

The Hound found it hard to sleep, as always.

The Stark girls were safely nestled inside the dirt alcove; The Hound found himself on guard. The remnants of his fire burned with a dull glow, dying sparks crackling and popping their way to oblivion. Sandor didn't like the fire, but he knew that it was the only way to cook food in the arena. Maybe he could have gotten away with eating raw meat himself, but he knew that the girls would absolutely find it disgusting.

He heard a footstep in the wet snow.

Sandor glanced towards the alcove, but he already knew that it wasn't Sansa or Arya. This was a heavy footfall, somebody attempting to be quiet. Attempting to sneak up on The Hound. _Fool_. Sandor remained seated on his log, his eyes remained on the fire, but his mind was racing. He needed his attacker to feel as if they had the upper hand.

His gloved hand slowly wrapped around the hilt of his sword. His legs weren't fully healed, but the Hound had taken out five Peacekeepers with a knife and a broken leg once. If there was anything he knew how to do in the world, it was to put up one hell of a fight.

"Stop trying to sneak around, you fool." The Hound called into the night. "If you're bloody going to kill me, get your sorry ass out here and try!"

"Give me back my daughters, Clegane!" The voice belonged to Ned Stark.

"Oh, daddy's come home to pick up his kids from the baby sitter!"

"Cut the shit, Hound!" A younger voice, that was. And from the opposite direction of Ned's. _Clever, but now I know there's two of them_.

"Would that be Jon Snow I hear? Oh wait, it couldn't be, because he's dea-" The Hound was cut off by a flash of steel coming for his neck. Using the hilt of his sword, he deflected the heavy blow and sent Ned's sword flying into the snow. He wasn't done, though. The stupid Stark punched Sandor in the jaw, an uppercut, but the Hound had taken worse. He shoved Ned away with one hand.

With newly found strength, Sandor stood on his feet. All seven feet of his broad body ached with sleep deprivation and pain. He took a deep breath, translating his pain into raw anger.

"We can work together, Stark!" He said as Robb tried to attempt a shot at him. Sandor's greatsword was too much for the boy to handle, he backed away to the edge of the forest. "Your daughters have come to no harm under my watch. If not for me, they would be certainly dead!"

"You lie, Hound!" Robb screamed, charging in again. The young boy dodged The Hound's first strike, getting close enough to swing at Sandor's left arm. The Hound gripped the blade with his hand to stop its momentum. Robb stood in shock as the blood ran down his enemies hand.

Ned raced up from behind, but Sandor's greatsword was there to meet his own sword in midair. He threw Robb sword at Ned, further cutting his hand, but it proved effective. Ned had to dodge, which meant he was vulnerable. That was, until Robb jumped on his back and racked his eyes with his fingers.

"Get off me, boy!" With a mighty shove, he slammed Robb onto the dying fire. Ned took another shot, slicing into the skin of The Hound's right leg. Sandor brought his greatsword down with force, but Ned blocked it. They traded blows back and forth, one gaining advantage for a brief moment before the other retaliated. Sandor landed a hard hit with the blunt face of his sword onto Ned's face, leaving small cuts near his eye.

He kicked Ned in the chest, launching his rival back several feet, but he remained standing. Robb grabbed onto Sandor's leg and attempted to snap it. The twist brought pain to his leg, but Sandor managed to kick Robb in the face and stop him. He felt bone crunch underneath his boot.

"Fucking Starks." He muttered as Ned's sword pierced his neck.

**Tormund**

"You'll be safe with me, girls, but you need to come right now! I don't have much time!" The red headed giant squatted in front of the Stark girls in their little direct alcove. Intense fighting noises could be heard just outside, the very reason Tormund was able to slip in undetected.

"But we need to get our dad!" Sansa pleaded. "And Robb, and Jon, and mother!"

"We don't have time!" Tormund hissed. "I can only save the two of you, but it has to be right now!"

"No!" Arya screamed, but Tormund came prepared. He injected both girls with a sleeping serum with the quickness of a cat. Within moments both were collapsed on the dirt floor. He scooped them up and exited the cramped space as the older Starks did battle with the Hound in the dying light of a fire. Ned couldn't know his daughters were alive. The electrical charge had taken out the cameras, Tormund knew, but only for a short time. Nobody would ever know he had been there.

**The President**

"What the fuck is going on! Technical difficulty! I'll have all of their heads if those cameras don't come back this second!" As if on command, the footage returned to Snow's flat screen television. The two stupid Starks were gaining the advantage on The Hound.

"Where are the girls?" Snow shouted. "Somebody launch some fireballs at them!"

"They're not showing up on any of the cameras, sir." A brave technician dared to say.

"Are they dead?"

"We don't know. They've just disappeared."

President Snow rubbed his temple furiously. _What the fuck had happened? It was all so perfect!_ "Ring the gongs, label them dead and claim that the footage was lost during the power outage."

Next Time: Oberyn runs into a familiar face, Ramsay has a close encounter, Asha runs into some trouble, and Stannis stalks his next target. :)   
~TheChuckles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I know it's been two months, and i'm SORRY! Side note, I know I said that Oberyn would be in this chapter, but I tweaked that a little. He'll be back next chapter! #RIPTheHound  
> ~TheChuckles


	14. Kissed By Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Several tributes find themselves in life or death situations.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two updates in the same month? THESE ARE EXCITING TIMES, ARE THEY NOT?? ;)   
> ~TheChuckles

**The Red Viper**

Stalking the dark woods on the second night had proved stupid for Oberyn Martell. He had not come across a single living thing, aside from a fat rabbit he planned to have for breakfast. His makeshift spear had pierced the animal clean through the head. _It will serve well to kill my enemies._

The sun was rising, Oberyn noted. The snow glistened in the warm glow, but it did not melt. If anything, the morning felt colder than the previous night had been. No more blizzards had befallen the arena since the beginning of the second day, but Oberyn knew it wouldn't last. Snow liked to torment those he despised.

And he despised the lot of them well.

His long trek through the forest finally began to drag on Oberyn's limbs. His feet and hands were numb, and his eyesight had become blurry. _If I go like this much longer, I will become easy prey._ Thankfully, Oberyn spotted a clearing not to far from where he was standing. He wandered toward it, each step sapping more strength from his dreary body.

As he entered the clearing, he caught sight of the fabulously golden cornucopia in the dead center of the arena. _There could be supplies_ , Oberyn noted. _Or enemies_. He was cautious in his approach to where his nightmare had began three days ago. The soft metal was bone chillingly cold to the touch. The Red Viper gripped his spear tight as he lunged around the corner, ready to face whatever was waiting for him.

Instead, he was face to face with Daenerys Targaryen.

"Oberyn?" She called out, dropping the pan of snow she was holding over a fire. The look on her face was exuberant.

"Dany? Oh my god!" His resolve melted away as the last Targaryen embraced him in a warming hug. She hit him with such force sufficient enough to sweep him off his feet, but he held his ground, barely. On the outside, he smiled brightly and pet Dany's hair. But on the inside, he was torn. This wasn't the time to be attaching himself to a mere girl. _This is war!_

"Jaime!" Dany called, "we have a visitor!"

Jaime Lannister shot up from his sleeping bag, his sword already gripped tightly in his hand. When he saw that it was Oberyn, he relented, coughing up a storm as he relaxed.

"You come here often?" Jaime joked, earning a small smile from Oberyn.

"Every Tuesday night. Heard this place had killer rabbit." The Red Viper tossed his kill at Dany's feet, encouraging her to begin prepping it. "Do you mind if I stay here for a little while? I need to rest before I go Loras hunting."

"I can't really stop you, can I?" Jaime said, which made Oberyn curious. His host explained: "We had a little run in with some rabid wolves yesterday. They tore me up pretty good."

"Got me, too." Dany said, showing the scars running along her neck.

"Get some rest, Jaime. I'll keep watch until the rabbit is cooked."

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it." Oberyn sat down next to Dany, who instantly began gushing about how much she had missed him. He didn't pay any attention to her affection. _I can't stay here, but I can't just leave and let them live._ He was at a real crossroads. The idea of slaughtering Daenerys was sickening, but they both couldn't walk out of there alive.

_Martell. Lannister. Targaryen. Different last names._

A cannon shot off.

**Ygritte**

It had been 24 hours since they had taken Jon's body from her. A small hovercraft had materialized out of thin air, a claw already reaching down toward her dead lover. Ygritte was forced to back away as it scooped Jon up and disappeared. She was left alone in the arena for the first time.

 _Get over yourself_ , Ygritte told herself. Her boots were soaked in snow, but she would not rest until she got her hands on that bastard Stannis Baratheon. Strangling the life out of that bitter man was the only thing that Ygritte could focus on. The cold was nothing to her. The wind biting at her exposed skin was nothing to her. The constant tugging at her heart, though, _that_ was something to her.

The sun was rising lazily in the sky, its rays casting a cold glow over the forest. _It's useless_ , Ygritte thought. _I don't have the slightest idea where the hell Stannis is._

"Looking for me?" Ygritte whipped her head to her left, where she saw the very man she was hunting. Her hand flew to her hunting knife at her waist.

"So you want to die so much you sought me out?" Ygritte spat.

"No, I didn't want you to go through the trouble of finding me. Might as well ease your suffering, wildling. Don't worry, i'm going to finish what I started yesterday."

"You will try." Ygritte said, moving into her fighting stance. Stannis wielded his heavy mace with both hands, one bandaged heavily and bloodstained. His first move was a slow strike down, something that Ygritte easily dodged

. "You old man." Ygritte swiped at Stannis' throat with her knife, but he slapped her away with the mace. He jammed it forward, something so unexpected that Ygritte fell into the snow behind her. Stannis swung down with force, crashing into the snow around her and sending the powdery white nuisance everywhere. Ygritte used the distraction to roll away from his reach.

She jumped on Stannis' back, stabbing into his shoulder with her knife. The two of them toppled over into the snow. Stannis' mace flew out of his reach. Ygritte reached for her knife, but Stannis ripped it out of his own shoulder and sliced into Ygritte's arm. She screamed as she batted her knife out of his hand and into the snow.

Stannis landed a solid punch deep in Ygritte's stomach. The blow knocked the wind out of her. Another fist made its way to the side of her temple, making her see stars. Stannis got to his knees in search of his mace while his enemy was stunned on the ground. When he finally gripped the base of his weapon, Ygritte was alert and on the offensive again. She closed the short distance between the two of them with a simple roll, ending it with a kick to Stannis' face.

Stannis grabbed her foot when she tried again. Ygritte spun around and tried to nail him with her other foot, but he ducked and dodged her attempt. Stannis swung Ygritte into the base of a thick tree, her arm taking the brunt of the impact. She found herself coughing up blood. _I will not be murdered by this pathetic old man_.

Stannis wrapped his hands around Ygritte's neck and began to squeeze. As the life drained out of her, Ygritte realized he was no longer holding his mace. Her hands flailed wildly at her side until she found his weapon right next to her head. Ygritte's vision was becoming blurry, the need for air growing more important.

"Wrong place, wrong time!" Stannis yelled, pushing harder on Ygritte's throat. "I just wanted to hurt Stark!"

Ygritte swung the mace.

Stannis' face caved in. His grip loosened. A look of astonishment crossed his disproportionate face before the blood began to flow. Ygritte hit him again, rolling him over and bashing his face in until there was nothing left but a headless body. The snow was stained crimson.

Ygritte spat at the mess she made. "His last name was Snow."

A cannon shot off.

**Ramsay**

It was on the third day of possessing his Reek did Ramsay decide to let him down. He cut the rope holding his pet in place in the cave wall.

"Thank you, master." Reek muttered brokenly.

Ramsay found himself in a particularly happy mood. Not only had The Hound been killed two nights ago, but Stannis Baratheon, Sansa Stark, Arya Stark, and Jon Snow as well had been dispatched. Four days in, and his competition was dropping like flies. Oberyn Martell, Loras Tyrell, Jaime Lannister and the three remaining Starks were still alive, but Ramsay was confident he could kill them all.

But there was still Asha Greyjoy to contend with.

"Come, Reek. Let's clean you up some."

Ramsay's pet crawled toward his master as best he could, but the lack of skin on several of his fingers and legs didn't help the matter. Ramsay grabbed a giant handful of snow from just outside his cave. He used it to scrub the variety of cuts and fillets covering his pet Reek free of dirt and rot. Reek was shivering by the time he was clean.

"Get over yourself, will you? Being cold isn't the worst thing that could happen to you."

"Yes, master."

"Whatever."

 _Miserable beast_ , Ramsay thought. _Still, I haven't had a pet of my own since the Capitol caught me_.

The sadistic Bolton hugged himself to keep warm. It seemed that each day in the arena got more frigid. Even with two winter coats on, Ramsay was still having trouble controlling his shivering. He could have sworn that the President was intentionally making it colder every single day.

Who was he kidding? He probably was.

"Reek-" Ramsay started, his command for his new pet lost in his mouth when he spotted movement outside. Ramsay leaned closer to the outside of his cave, where he spotted Asha fucking Greyjoy plowing through the snow. _You've got to be fucking kidding me._

"Theon!" She screamed, moving in a circle. "Theon!"

 _So, she doesn't know where we are yet_. Ramsay knew it was time to escape before Asha could find him. Being bottled up in a cave for three days had left him weak, he realized, and there was no way he could take on Asha while keeping Reek on his side, too.

"Reek!" Ramsay hissed. "Pack up my things, we're leaving!"

"What's going on outside?" Reek asked, bowing his head. Ramsay struck his pet in the temple. "Nevermind that! Just gather my things, you pathetic animal!"

"Yes, master."

Ramsay raced to the edge of his cave to continue watching Asha. Her dirty brown hair whipped in the wind madly, the redness of her cheeks painting a furious expression on her face. She has her bow by her side, an arrow in her hand. A long machete hung at her left hip. Ramsay judged that he could possibly hit her with one of his flaying knives from this distance, but thought better of it.

"Theo-" Asha started, locking eyes with her brother's captor.

"Oh fuck." Ramsay swore, grabbing for his knives.

"You're mind, bastard!" Asha yelled, rapidly closing the distance between the two of them, when suddenly, a wolf appeared out of nowhere. The brown haired beast lunged at Asha, but she expertly dodged it. A moment later, her machete sliced the wolf in two. Her rage filled eyes were once again set upon Ramsay.

Ramsay had no choice but to start launching knives at her. The first one missed her by a mile, but his second attempt bounced off of her machete and nicked her hand. For a brief moment, Asha stopped to assess the wound. Ramsay got his third knife ready, but Loras Tyrell swopped in and met blades with his attacker.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me!" Asha complained as she did battle with Loras, his shortsword scraping her machete in midair. They did the deadly dance, while Ramsay scrambled to get Reek out of the cave.

"C'mon, Reek, we have to leave!"

"But master..." Ramsay kicked his pet in the stomach. "No buts! Do you want me to kill you right now?"

"No-" "Then MOVE!" Ramsay shrieked.

The two of them scurried out of their hiding place and made for the forest. Asha got one last fleeting glance at Ramsay and her brother before they disappeared over a small ridge.

**Asha Greyjoy**

"You have horrible timing, pretty boy!" Asha told Loras between blows. Her fatigue was slowing her down, otherwise she would have already carved Tyrell up like a birthday cake.

"You underestimate my skills!" Loras said, dodging a fatal attack and punching Asha in the face. The blow stung, but she recovered quick enough to dodge a fatal attack on Loras' part. A thin trickle of blood blinded her in her right eye.

"Fuck. You!" Asha screamed, throwing her sword at Loras. It sliced into his sword throwing arm, causing him to drop his weapon to assess the damage. Asha reached for her bow, loaded an arrow, and took aim. She expected to hear the ominous boom of the cannon that would signal Loras' death.

Instead, her arrow sunk into the fur of another wolf.

At least three more surrounded the two combatants. Asha shot another one down, but before she could load her bow again, another pounced at her. Its claws never reached her, however. Loras' shortsword impaled the beast moments before it would have teared Asha apart.

Asha stared at the blonde boy she was fighting, stared for a long second into his cobalt blue eyes. In that moment, she thanked him for keeping her alive. In that moment, she decided she would spare his life, at least on that day.

Both warriors ran in opposite directions; Asha headed for Ramsay and her brother.

Next Time: President Snow makes a special announcement, Ramsay and Reek are on the hunt, while Dany and Jaime bond with Oberyn. Catelyn grieves, and the Starks finally start to play the "game". ~TheChuckles


	15. What Is Dead May Never Die

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tension between tributes build as President Snow makes an announcement that will change everything.

**Catelyn**

  
_It has been five days. Five days of hell on earth._

  
Even though it had been just Robb, Ned, and herself since the first day, their camp felt empty. The fire had gone out in the mild snowstorm that had kept her up for a good portion of the night. In the distance, she could have sworn she heard the howling of wolves growing near, but come dawn, there were no wolves to be seen.

  
"Ned." Cat said simply, gently pushing her husband awake. As he was growing accustomed to, he woke with a violent start. His fist punctured a hole in the roof of their tent. Catelyn held her tongue.

  
"Sorry honey. Just these...nightmares." Ned attempted to sound apologetic, but Cat saw through it like a weak morning fog.

  
"It's alright." She said, rubbing his aching back. "The fire went out again."

  
"What the hell are we even doing?" Ned asked, rolling over to face his beloved wife. "It's been five days and all we have done is grieve. I'm sick of it."

  
Catelyn didn't have a response.

  
"We need to get on the offensive, Cat, don't you think? The field is narrowing down, and sooner or later we're going to end up in someone's crosshairs."

  
"I'm useless in a fight Ned." Catelyn whispered. "I can't fight with a sword. The only weapon I have is my wit, and in here that's nothing. Don't tell me i'm wrong, because I know i'm right."

  
"Are you guys up?" Robb asked from outside, his shadow lurking near the closed tent flap.

  
"Yeah, we'll be out in one minute, son." Ned said.

  
Suddenly, somebody else was talking.

  
"Hello tributes!" A voice boomed over the arena, cutting Ned and Cat's conversation short. "Congratulations on making it this far in the first ever Hunger Games! President Snow has a very important announcement, so listen closely!"

  
"What the hell could that snake be up to?" Ned wondered out loud. Catelyn's stomach filled with dread. The couple came out from their tent in time to hear the President's words.

  
"Are you having fun yet, everybody?" Snow gloated, "Because I sure am! What a show you guys are putting on! It warms my heart to know that the entirety of Panem is witness to your punishment. Alas, I shall get to my point quick enough. It's been five days since this little game started, and since then, i've decided we're going to spice things up a little bit. So, tomorrow at noon, a mountain of supplies will appear in the Cornucopia once again.

  
"All tributes are required to attend this feast i'm preparing. Of course, you can try to run, but there are ways to lure those who choose not to take part in my generous offer to the feast. See you then!"

  
Cat looked at her husband and son.

  
"There's your chance, Ned."

  
**Daenerys**

  
Dany was speechless.

  
"They're all coming here?" She looked at Jaime first, then Oberyn, worry painted on her pale face.

  
"Dammit." Oberyn hissed, picking up his spear and stalking out of the Cornucopia. "I'll be right back."

  
"Dammit's right." Jaime said, sharpening his sword with a whetstone. "We need to get the hell out of here before somebody comes wandering by."

  
"But," Dany started, "we'll be forced back tomorrow anyways, right?"

  
"Yeah, but I don't know what will happen if we're here when the bring in the supplies or whatever the hell Snow is planning. For all we know, he could just be gathering us all to exterminate whoever's left."

  
That thought made Dany sick to her stomach.

  
"We need to move." Oberyn said, returning from outside. In his hand was a handful of a type of plant. "This is some sort of trick, I can feel it."

  
"Daenerys," Jaime said, grabbing her hands in his own, "keep watch while Oberyn and I pack up. If you see anything, let us know. You still have your knife right"

  
"Of course."

  
"Okay, good. We'll be quick."

  
Oberyn set his spear against the golden wall of the Cornucopia. "Here, I found some of this nearby. It's edible." He tossed the grassy-looking roots towards Dany. She set them down in the snow next to her.

  
The only movement that Dany could spot outside was the light snowfall that began halfway through her watch. The forest stood still aside from a rare gust of wind that sent the trees swaying. It was hard for her to believe that it had already been five days. _Just over a week ago, we were still in District 12_. Dany wondered if that propo she had filmed with Viserys was still airing in the districts.

  
She guessed not, considering the Capitol had rounded up all of the important rebels. _The districts were all probably subdued by now_. Dany eyed the plant Oberyn had given her, stomach growling. She picked up a small portion and ate it, deciding she didn't quite like the taste. _It was too bitter._

  
"All good to go, princess." Jaime said, appearing with Oberyn in front of her. All of their gear was packed up and ready for transport.

  
"Where are we going?" She asked.

  
"I don't know, but I think we need to split up." Oberyn announced.

  
"What?" Jaime and Dany said in unison.

  
"Listen, this whole thing that last couple days has been fun, but we all know there can only be one victor. Considering that none of us have the same last name, either, we all can't walk out of here alive."

  
Jaime pulled out his sword. "Are you going to pull something?"

  
Oberyn held up his hands, although his spear was still in one. "I wouldn't, not here. I have to track down Loras and Ned Stark, but since we'll all be meeting up here again tomorrow, i'll probably have my revenge."

  
"How can I trust you?"

  
Oberyn looked at Dany. "Because she's too innocent for me to kill."

"But i'm not."

  
"No, Lannister, you are not. But she cares for you, and that is probably the only reason I will walk away with a clean spear."

  
Daenerys was too shocked to put up any argument for Oberyn to stay. He was right, after all. Only one of us can win. It felt like all of her options were being yanked away. Can't team with The Red Viper, can't win with Jaime, Viserys is dead. She felt like crying, but she had seen to much to weep over a friend simply leaving her.

  
Oberyn Martell turned and walked into the forest, probably the last time Dany would see him not fighting or dead. She knew he would be back tomorrow, stuck with everybody else in the so called feast. Still, it broke her heart for him to leave.

  
"He was like an uncle to me." She told Jaime, half an hour after they left the Cornucopia. "I wish..." Suddenly, her mouth began to twitch, and then she fell into the snow, consumed in paralysis.

  
"Fucking Oberyn." Jaime cursed. He leaned down next to Daenerys and tried to sort out how to save her from the poison The Red Viper gave her.

  
** Ramsay **

  
"The end is nigh, Reek."

  
"We're going to the feast tomorrow, right master?" Reek spoke barely above a whisper in fear of punishment.

  
"Of course!" Ramsay said manically, smiling wildly at his pet. "We're going to kill all of them, and we'll become victors! Can you imagine?"

  
Ramsay knew that they both couldn't win, of course. When the time came, he would kill his pet and become victor all by himself.

  
"Yeah." Reek said in response.

  
"Good!" Ramsay said excitedly. "Now we just need to get back to the Cornucopia--" A red headed warrior jumped on top of Ramsay, the two of them rolling in the snow. Ygritte stabbed down with her knife, but Bolton rolled away quickly before she could damage him. He kicked her in her thigh, sending her reeling back into the snow.

  
"What the fuck!" Ramsay screamed, reaching for his knives. He threw one at his opponent, but instead of killing, it just ended up in a tree. Ygritte made another swipe with her hunting knife, nicking Ramsay's cheek right under his eye. _That bitch!_ Ramsay swatted her knife away and punched her in the face.

  
"Reek! More knives!" He screamed, wrapping his hands around Ygritte's neck. She clawed his face. Ramsay threw her into the nearest tree, the burning sensation in his face halting his advance any further.

  
Reek shoved the pack of knives into Ramsay's hands, but Ygritte was already running away. Two knives flew out of his hands, but his injured face messed with his precision. He missed.

  
"Wildling bitch!" He screamed in pure rage. "We're going after her Reek, c'mon!"

  
** President Snow  **

  
President Snow leaned back in his chair, "Run through it again, I want to make sure this is flawless."

  
"Well, since the group residing in the Cornucopia has left, we will begin planting traps in the middle of the night, starting around midnight. Once they are all laid, we'll bring in the food and supplies and assemble it in a mountain in front of the Cornucopia--"

  
"I like that." Snow interrupted. "The mountain of supplies. Can you put a bomb in the middle of it?"

  
"Yes, sir, we can do that." The gamemaker scribbled a note on his tablet. "Once all eleven tributes are assembled, we'll broadcast you live via hologram from the top of the Cornucopia. While they are all focused on you, the forcefield dome will enclose them in the clearing. How long you want it to be in place?"

  
"I'll give the command to have it lifted." Snow decreed. "Can we throw in some wolves once they start killing each other. I've really become fond of those beasts."

  
"That can be arranged, yes. Any other requests, Mr. President?"

  
"I've changed my mind. Release the dome when four of them have died. I don't want my Games to end just yet. Also, can you get the dome to shrink to just the area surrounding the Cornucopia? I don't want to give them too much room to hide from each other."

  
"We'll make those accommodations."

  
"Thank you, you may leave." With a wave of his hand, the gamemaker was gone. As the President contemplated serious presidential matters, he heard soft feet on his lush carpet.

  
"You didn't knock, Varys." The old man said.

  
"I'm sorry, sir, but i've come with important news."

  
Snow swung his chair so he was facing his master of whispers. The man they called Varys liked to wear free flowing silk robes and go barefoot, for whatever reason. The people of the Capitol tended to have peculiar tastes in fashion.

  
"You've brought word of the Stark girls?"

  
"Yes." Varys took a seat opposite Snow. "My little birds reported seeing them in District 7 less than twelve hours ago, along with the wildling that set them free. Their destination is unclear, but it could be assumed they're making for the wildling territory in the north."

  
"Stannis's old district." President Snow sighed. "Those idiots are going to try to get aide from Selyse Baratheon, aren't they? If only they knew there is a small army of guards watching over her every move. Put out an order that I want them alive, and no witnesses.

  
"Of course, sir."

"If you excuse me, Varys, I must ask you to leave. I need to prep myself for tomorrow's...festivities."

  
Next Time: The all knowing narrator POV that is me returns as President Snow's deadly feast takes place. There will be fights, deaths, heartbreak and betrayal, and Snow will enjoy every second of it! Who will live? Who will die? Only I know...for now! :)   
~TheChuckles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was just wondering, who do you guys think is going to come out on top in the Hunger Games??   
> ~TheChukles


	16. Hour of the Wolf

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eleven tributes gather where the Hunger Games started as the deadly feast commences.

***All-knowing narrator***

  
The sixth days of the very first Hunger Games began with the howl of a wolf.

  
President Snow sat in the center of the Gamemaker room, giddy from all of the recent excitement. He instructed a gamemaker to sound the wolf howl again, just in case not all tributes had heard it.

  
They all had.

  
The three remaining Starks were within sight of the Cornucopia, hiding in the snow choked woods to the left. Robb and Ned each had a sword in hand, while Catelyn was outfitted with a knife. Like she had said, she was useless in a fight. Since arriving nearly three hours prior, they had spotted no other in the area.

  
But there were others lurking the forest.

  
Jaime Lannister sat with a very sick Daenerys on the far right of the Cornucopia, just barely on the inside of the forest. The poison Oberyn had fed her wasn't consumed in a deadly enough dose, so Dany was left ill instead of dead. The paralysis had worn off, but the vomiting and headaches had raged on through out the night. She was in no condition to participate.

  
Oberyn Martell stood nearby, watching Jaime as he thought he was scouting the area. The Red Viper's heart was heavy at the sight of the sickened Daenerys. He hoped the poison would have served as a mercy killing for the poor child, but she hadn't eaten enough of it. He'd rather see her die peacefully with poison then bloody with a blade. 

_Oh well_.

  
Asha Greyjoy sat on a rock, poised to kill the first thing that moved with an arrow to its head. From her vantage point she could clearly see the entire playing field. A mountain of supplies stood near as high as the Cornucopia itself, cans of food glittering in the light of the rising sun. Ramsay and Reek were not far, watching Ygritte as she prepared her hunting knife for the fight to come.

  
The tribute that everybody had forgotten about, save for Oberyn, was Loras Tyrell. The wily young man was prepared for the oncoming slaughter, even though he hadn't the slightest clue of where the other ten tributes were. His time in the arena hadn't been as bad as some of his competition's had been, save for fights with Oberyn and Asha.

  
Still, he was ready to kill.

  
The first rays of the sun eclipsed the treeline, a wave of cold light washing the battlefield in early morning haze.

  
President Snow appeared above the Cornucopia via hologram.

  
"I'm happy to see that you all could make it." The snake like man smiled. Several tributes began to grow suspicious of where each other was, but Snow decided to rid them of their burden. A small army of wolves, all with coats as white as snow, materialized in a circle around the tributes.

  
"Please join me as we begin this feast." The President said. The wolves began to advance, forcing the tributes to come out in the open. Asha fired a shot at Ramsay once she spotted him, but he was able to dodge it easily enough. Ygritte, seeing how close her foe was to her, advanced with her knife.

  
On the other side of the field, Jaime Lannister engaged in fierce battle with Oberyn as Dany lay sick near them in the grass. The two legendary fighters exchanged blows, the rattle of their weapons numbing their hands.

  
"You tried to kill her!" Jaime yelled, slashing downward.

  
Oberyn backed away before swinging his spear in an arc, advancing again towards Jaime. "I was trying to give her mercy!"

  
"You'll have none from me, snake!"

  
Ned and Robb Stark advanced to the mountain of supplies, where they took stock of what was happening around them. Neither saw Loras Tyrell when he stabbed Robb in the thigh. The young Stark screamed as he fell into the food cache. Ned was pissed, running after Loras as he led a chase around the Cornucopia.

  
Ramsay alternated between throwing knives as Ygritte and at Asha as they tried to get to him, a war on two fronts. Reek had backed away from the fight, watching his so-called master dodge blows from two fierce warriors. Ramsay ran out of knives to toss, ducking as Asha and Ygritte's weapons clashed for the first time. The cunning Bolton knocked both of them off their feet, running to retrieve his knives.

  
The wolves began to tighten up their circle, until all of the fighting was contained to a 100 yard area surrounding the Cornucopia. A opaque dome fell in place as the wolves retreated into the woods.

  
Ned and Loras stumbled into the battle between Jaime and Oberyn, the four fighters all crossing blades with each other in a mad fray to kill somebody. Oberyn nicked Loras' face with the sharp end of his spear, while hitting Ned in the stomach with the butt of his dangerous weapon. Jaime took that opportunity to throat punch Loras as he was distracted, the young fighter falling out of harm's way.

  
"Ned!" Jaime shouted, "We can end this!"

  
"Too late!" Stark shouted back, taking a swing at Jaime.

  
Meanwhile, Reek had gathered enough courage to go after Robb Stark with one of Ramsay's knives. Robb's wound was bleeding badly, but he still put up a fight as the warped creature that was once Theon Greyjoy stabbed him repeatedly. Right before Reek was about to slit Robb's throat, Robb suprised him by plunging his sword through his chest.

  
"Thank you." Theon whispered as he died.

  
"Theon!" Asha witnessed what had just transpired and made a break for her fallen brother. Ygritte and Ramsay, too, found themselves moving towards the mountain of supplies. Asha ended Robb's life by piercing his head with one of her arrows. She glanced at her brother's body before re-engaging her vicious fight with Ygritte and Ramsay.   
Jaime backed out of the melee on the other side and rushed to make certain Daenerys was still breathing. Loras tried to ambush him, but Jaime caught him with the butt of his sword. As he was getting ready to slice Loras' head off, Oberyn tackled Jaime away.

  
"He's mine!" Oberyn said, wrapping his hands around his foe's throat. Ned Stark came from behind and began choking Oberyn with his own spear, lifting him off of Jaime and tossing him aside.

  
"Where's Daenerys?!" Ned shouted, holding Jaime at spear point.

  
"Sick! She needs help!" Jaime said. The look on his face made Ned soften up, if only for a moment, because the next was filled with his wife's scream.

  
Loras had changed gears and began to pursue Catelyn as she climbed up the large pile of supplies. Being in better physical shape, Loras was able to catch up to Cat fast enough to slash at her feet with his sword. Blood from her fresh wound poured onto Loras' face, blinding him long enough to lose sight of his prey as she turned and tumbled back down to the ground, fifteen feet away.

  
President Snow's hologram laughed.

  
The supplies exploded.

  
The boxes and cans of food and metal shrapnel were sent in all directions. Loras was full of metal shards by the time his limp body exploded against the dome. His blood joined the cascading debris as it carpeted the battleground. Catelyn's legs suffered burns from being too near to the explosion.

  
Ramsay, Ygritte and Asha were all thrown back by the force of the explosion. Ramsay was propelled into the dome, both legs shattering upon impact. Asha was left with a severe concussion; Ygritte with only bruises. Jaime, Ned, Oberyn and Daenerys were all blanketed with debris and bloody mush.

  
For a brief time, all was quiet as all tributes were incapacitated by the bomb.

  
Ygritte was the first to break the silence, slicing Ramsay's throat open with a brutal red smile. His menacing eyes stared her down as he drowned in his own blood, unable to do anything about it. Asha stood next to Ygritte in a small moment of reconciliation, before smacking her with her bow and trying to stab her with an arrow.

  
Oberyn, on the other side, scooped up his spear and reignited a fight with Ned. Both combatants slipped in the rubble as they fought. Ned gained the upper hand when Oberyn's spear was broken in half by a downswing of his sword. The Red Viper was forced to retreat, but found himself tripping over Daenerys during his escape.

  
He stared into her eyes and saw rage.

  
A moment later, he saw her knife inches from his face. The child only left a cut running horizontally along his forehead, but that was enough to blind Oberyn with his own blood. He stumbled away, swinging the half of his spear he had left wildly in all directions.

  
Jaime was helped to his feet by Ned, the two apparently forming an alliance. Jaime rushed to Dany, while Ned found his wife incapacitated and burned near the site of the explosion. He couldn't find Robb, his heart racing even faster when the cannons began to boom.

  
There were four.

  
And then the wolves came.

  
Asha broke away from Ygritte to kill one of the beasts as it leaped on top of her. She shot it dead before it caused damage, but Ygritte took the opportunity to kick Asha in the head, rendering her unconscious. Before she could act, three more wolves appeared within feet of Ygritte. She slashed one with her knife as she ran away.

  
Unfortunately, they followed her, unaware of Asha underneath the fallen wolf.

  
Jaime and Dany, who was now able to walk without puking, were untouched by wolves as they retreated into the woods. Ned slayed one wolf by cutting it clean in half, another with a clean puncture through the skull. He was utterly exhausted, the only thing keeping him alive was the massive flow of adrenaline flowing through is veins. He hoisted his wife in his arms, making a break for the woods.

  
Oberyn was jumped by a lone wolf. The malicious animal tore into him with its claws for a moment, until the Red Viper shoved the remaining part of his spear through its throat and through its brain. He wiped blood from his eyes, but he was now bleeding from cut wounds on his arms and chest as well. Oberyn slithered away, the last of the conscious to leave the battlefield.

  
"That was fun!" President Snow announced. "Let's do it again sometime!"

  
The seven remaining tributes didn't share his view on the day's events.

  
Next Time: Jaime and Daenerys search for Ned, while Oberyn licks his wounds, Asha recovers from the feast, and Ygritte battles with the elements. :)   
~TheChuckles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that was FUN!   
> President Snow's words, not mine ;)   
> ~TheChuckles


	17. The Sinful Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All of the tributes recover from the feast.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for kind of not writing for two months :/   
> ~TheChuckles

**Catelyn **

  
Pain.

  
Hot, searing pain.

  
Catelyn couldn't feel her legs as they were dragged through the snow, but she could see where her pants have burned away and the angry red skin left. Her ears still rang with the sound of that explosion, the image of the Tyrell boy's body exploding against the dome still fresh in her mind. The puncture wound from where he sliced at her feet left a faint trail of blood.

  
Otherwise, the forest was only filled with the sobbing sound of Ned.

  
"Where's..." Cat starts, before her parched throat stops her.

  
"What?" Ned looks at his wife with a desperate frenzy. His face is bruised and bloodied, his eyes crazed. "What was that, Cat?"

  
"Where's Robb?" Cat croaked, but she wished she hadn't.

  
Ned's face turns bitter. "Where do you think? We're the only ones left, Cat. Our whole family is dead." The pain in his voice breaks her heart. _What has Snow done to you, my love?_

  
"The boys are still alive."

  
"Yeah, sure they are." Ned scoffed, "Do you honestly think that that fucker would let them live? Don't be a fool, Catelyn. We're all good as dead."

  
"We can still win..." Catelyn said, but Ned turned his back to her.

  
"Ned!" Her voice pierced the cold winter air. "Look at me!"

  
He turned around to face his wife, lying in the snow, on death's doorstep.

  
"There are only seven of us left. Two of them are us. We can still survive this, us and Bran and Rickon, and we'll get the hell out of this fucking country and live with the damned wildings, anything to stay alive. That's what we're going to do, stay alive."

  
"Wake up, Catelyn! There is no happy ending for any of us! Whoever walks out of here last will just get shot by Snow just to prove his point! We're rats in a maze with no escape, i've realized that now. All we can do now is just find a way to die with dignity."

  
**Ygritte **

  
The pitiful whine of a wolf accompanied the end of Ygritte's slaughter of the vicious animals. Bastards had been chasing her for the better part of two hours, and as soon as the coast was clear, she collapsed in exhaustion. The events of the day swirled through her head like a bloody tornado. She had never experienced something as traumatizing as what had transpired in that dome.

  
The sheer amount of carnage caused Ygritte to puke up whatever food she had left in her stomach. She was left dry heaving as tears streamed down her face. The whole thing was just sick. The games, the deaths, the audience watching all over Panem. Just two weeks ago, Ygritte was working with the rebellion, and it seemed the tide was going to turn in their favor.

  
But the odds weren't ever in their favor.

  
"I hate you!" Ygritte screamed, "I hate you! I fucking hate you Snow!" She knocked around fistfuls of the hellish substance that had plagued her life for the last six days. _How could it have all gone wrong?_

  
"You are such a curious creature." A sinister voice said. Ygritte turned around to see a hologram of the very man she despised most looking down on her. Snow was clad in a crimson suit with a white tie, a white rose pinned above his pocket. Ygritte stood in shock.

  
"It's such a pity that you ended up on the wrong side. I've been watching you as of late, and I must say, you have some impressive skills."

  
"I HATE YOU!" Ygritte slashed at the hologram with her hunting knife, tears streaming freely down her face.

  
The President laughed.

  
"Let me remind you that it wasn't me who forced you to work with the rebel scum. That was your own choice, was it not? It doesn't matter, because I have other plans for you. Do you want to live, Ygritte?"

  
The question struck Ygritte like a swift blow to the chest. She hadn't allowed herself to answer such a frank question in so long, it hurt to ponder what the answer might be. It felt as if she had been careless and reckless, ending up in the situation she was in. _What had even swayed her to join Ned Stark's cause?_

  
"I don't know anymore." Ygritte answered honestly.

  
"I'll take that as a yes." Snow said, cracking a sinister smile. "You listen to me, girl, and you better listen real good. The only way you will get out of this arena is if you kill Ned Stark. I am a generous man, and I don't want to see any more bloodshed than need be. Spare Catelyn, just pull the weed from its root. Will you do that for me?"

  
Choked up, Ygritte stared blankly at the man she despised, realizing her only escape was to do his bidding. She knew that if she were to win, Catelyn would have to die anyway. _Does he think me stupid? He must,_ she concluded. _Let's use that to my advantage_.

  
"I don't know."

  
Snow scoffed. "Well, figure out soon enough. Because time in not on your side, wildling." The hologram cut off suddenly, replaced by an onslaught of snow coming from all directions.

  
Another fucking blizzard.

  
**Daenerys**

  
It was so cold.

  
So bitterly, numbingly cold.

  
Dany had forgotten what it had been like living in the Cornucopia, where Jaime and her were sheltered from the harsh winds of winter. Even in District 12, which was the farthest north district, it wasn't as cold as this. Anytime she dared to expose her skin to the open elements, it began to sting.

As her and Jaime searched for Ned, her mind wondered to different times. To the sun soaked beaches of District 4 where she had vacationed with her brother and Illyrio Mopatis occasionally. To the beautiful mansion in District 1 that she had called home for so long. Even back to the cold abyss of District 12, the place she missed the most.

  
Perhaps it was the hospitality of the Starks that had wooed her the most. All of them were just so kind. They made her really feel like she was one of them, even if her hair was white and her skin several shades whiter than theirs. Everywhere except there, people always stared at her unnatural purple eyes, like she was some sort of demon or something.

  
Dany always hated that.

  
"I was thinking," Jaime huffed as he trekked a path through the snow, "back in District 12, when Ned was planning to put you and Viserys back in power, did you ever want that?"

  
"I don't know." Dany answered truthfully. "Ever since I can remember, people have either loved me or loathed me. A lot of people didn't even know I was alive until recently, but I've always felt that what Ned was doing was right."

  
"But did you want to always kill Snow?"

  
"Of course. He plotted against my father, and he alone is the reason that my family has been wiped off the face of the planet except for me. It would be nice to see that snake's head on a spike somewhere."

  
"I couldn't say it better." Jaime concluded. For a time they walked in silence. Jaime led the way. Up a hill, down a hill, around a small creek, through a glistening white valley. The crunch of snow underfoot became rhythmic.

  
"Where are we going?" Daenerys asked, her breath creating clouds in the frigid air.

  
"We need to find Ned." Jaime declared, "I know that it's pointless. There's no way we could all win, but hell, what else are we supposed to do? Die?"

  
** Asha **

  
It was a full day after the feast that Asha Greyjoy woke from her slumber. She found herself covered in debris. Scraps of metal, coagulated blood, melted snow, and indistinguishable pieces of carnage. Once the haze of sleep wore off, Asha launched herself into a fighting position. The rush of adrenaline that had accompanied her yesterday returned with a vengeance.

  
She was ready to fight, but unless she was going to fight the debris, there was nothing to fight. _Think Asha, think, who died?_ She remembered her fight with Ramsay and Ygritte for the most part. Ygritte ran away, but Asha was sure she saw Ramsay die. Robb Stark, too, he was slain, and there was no way she could forget Loras exploding against the dome.

  
And then there was Theon.

  
Fresh tears stung her eyes at the thought of her baby brother. He was too innocent to be dragged into vicious politics, didn't have a stomach for it either. Asha wallowed in the snow, knowing that she had ultimately failed him.

  
But, she was still alive.

  
There was nothing she could do for her brother now, but she could still win the game. There were only seven left, by her calculation. Catelyn Stark and Daenerys wouldn't be a threat, so really it came down to five.

  
Ned Stark, Jaime Lannister, Oberyn Martell, Ygritte, and herself.

  
That would be quite the spectacle, the five warriors doing battle to the death. And Asha knew she would need to be at full strength to stand a chance.

  
** The Red Viper **

  
Even after a full night's sleep, Oberyn still found himself feeling like shit.

  
All of his muscles ached constantly, the claw marks from that fucking wolf stung every time there was a light breeze, and he felt horrible about poisoning Daenerys. _It had to be done_ , Oberyn would tell himself. _What other way was she supposed to die, at the hands of someone's sword?_

  
_At the hands of my spear?_

  
Oberyn forced himself to forget about Daenerys. If it had to be done, he would kill her. He didn't want to, but if it came to it, he would. Snow was letting everybody catch their breath after that bloody spectacle at the Cornucopia, but Oberyn sensed that the finale was coming. Very soon, Snow would round up whoever was left for the grand finale.

  
And he had to be ready.

  
That meant he had to stop wallowing in self pity and prepare himself. He scooped himself up from his laying position in the snow to do several basic stretches. Each hurt, but the more he stretched, the more limber he felt. Next on his list was crafting another spear, since the one he had previously made was shattered.

  
An hour later and Oberyn had two spears sharpened from branches. He used them to hunt lunch, a fat rabbit, and suddenly he found himself feeling strong again. By the time the sun was beginning to set in the sky, he was out on the move once again.

  
Next Time: Two tributes meet in epic battle, while the rest are herded to the final battleground...


	18. The Viper and The Kraken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two tributes fight in epic battle, while outside forces consider their options.

**President Snow **  
The end was drawing close.

  
Nine days his Games had been played, and now it was time for the grand finale. President Snow shivered in bloody excitement at all of the... _arrangements_ that he had in store for the rebels in the arena. He hoped they liked wolves.

  
"Sir, the hostages are all incapacitated."

  
"Good. Bring them to the aircraft at once. I want them waiting over the arena immediately. The rebels are being moved to the playing field as we speak."

  
Snow surveyed as his minions dragged all of the hostages out of their gilded cage. Tywin and Cersei Lannister, the two Stark boys, Selyse and Shireen Baratheon, Oberyn's three daughters, Mace Tyrell, and Roose Bolton, the poor souls.

"Wait." Snow ordered, "Get rid of Bolton, Tyrell, and the Baratheons. We have no need for them anymore."

  
"What are we to do with them, sir?"

  
"Take them back to their districts, under heavy watch. They can continue to rule if they so desire. I don't care, as long as this shit never happens again."

  
"Understood."

  
"Good."

  
The remaining hostages would serve as enticement for the tributes. Although he didn't have anybody that could be used to hurt the wildling, the Greyjoy bitch, and Daenerys, the President expected he could get a good fight out of Jaime, Ned, and Oberyn if he threatened their family.

  
"Sir," President Snow recognized the soft voice of his adviser, Varys.

  
"What news do you bring?"

  
Varys strode closer to his President. "It appears that the Stark girls have outran our peacekeepers in District 7. Their whereabouts are unknown."

  
"Ah, just the news that i've been waiting for. I knew I was having too much fun. Tell me, Varys, how exactly could two little girls and a wildling escape our forces, let alone all of your little birds? Surely you will know of their location soon?"

  
Varys sighed. "It's hard to say, but I suspect that they have help from those still loyal to Ned Stark's rebellion."

  
"Damn them! Do they not see the writing on the wall? All of their leaders were captured and put in my Games, and they still dare to rebel? What is wrong with them?!"

  
"Too much hope, sir, that is what is wrong here. What Ned Stark's movement did was break a dam holding back all of the common people's hope. Now, for the very first time, they dare to think they can govern themselves? How preposterous! If only there was a way to keep them in line."

  
"What are you suggesting, Varys?"

  
The Spider leaned in close enough to smell the tainted rose scent that masked President Snow. "What if there were to be...more Games?"

  
The President had never considered that idea before.

  
It seemed like the perfect solution. Instead of rebels, he would pick from a pool of the entire district, to show that the Capitol's wrath spared nobody. _That fear of getting selected would make those ungrateful fuckers fall in line for sure._

  
"I'll consider it. As always, I appreciate your counsel, good friend."

  
After a leisurely stroll around his mansion, the President retreated back to his personal suite. There, he relaxed over a bottle of wine and a live feed of his Games as they unfolded. The wolves had been dispatched to chase the rebels to the final playing field, an open area with all kinds of fun stuff hiding underneath the snow.

  
As he was watching Ygritte kill a wolf by snapping its neck, Snow noticed a bit of action on another screen. It appeared that Oberyn and Asha had run into each other...

  
"Leave Martell and Greyjoy alone, they're about to dance." Snow said to his Gamemakers. It was about to get interesting...

  
**Asha **

  
Wolves were one thing, but the Red Viper was a whole other animal.

  
Asha had just finished off a small pack of wolves when she notices the spear whistling past her head. It embedded itself into a tree nearby. Within moments, Asha was ready with her bow and arrow, the bloody snow crunching underneath her feet as she swiveled, covering herself on all sides.

  
_Crunch, crunch, huff, huff, HUFF._

  
Asha was swept off of her feet. She landed face first into one of the wolves she had just slain. A sharp blade pierced the skin of her arm, but a solid kick by Asha to her attacker sent him back several feet. Asha used the time to rise, load her bow, and shoot Oberyn Martell in the foot.

  
The Red Viper laughed cynically.

  
"Nice aim." He wielded a makeshift spear as if it were a mere extension of his arm. Swirling at a blinding rate, around and behind him, it left Asha dizzy. Oberyn knew this. He dived in for an attack, but Asha slid to the side, her machete slicing along Oberyn's thigh. He hissed, smacking her in the forehead with the butt of his spear.

  
Both warriors reeled, realizing at the same time that the task they had before them was going to be brutal. Oberyn advanced, dodging Asha's strike to land two quick jabs to her ribs with the dull end of his spear. In a heartbeat, he was behind her, his spear held tightly to Asha's neck.

  
As Oberyn pulled, squeezing the life out of her, Asha maneuvered her machete in her hand, stabbing her enemy directly in the knee. A sickening crunch filled the air. Oberyn screamed, releasing his choke and stumbling backwards. Asha turned and struck snow, Oberyn managing to flee quicker than expected. He circled around her to the tree where his spear was stuck in.

  
Now with two spears, Oberyn felt as though he had the advantage. Yes, his knee was in bad shape, but he was The Red Viper, for fuck's sake. A smile crossed his lips as he fought Asha, his spears pushing her defense to the limit. She was forced to counteract every move he made, or risk death.

  
She fell back, but Oberyn kept hot on her tail. Asha suddenly ducked and tackled Oberyn by the legs. The two foes toppled on top of one another in the snow, spears and machete falling out of reach. Asha punched Oberyn's throat with one hand. The other was busy trying to claw at his eyes. Oberyn responded by driving his good knee into Asha's back.

  
Something snapped somewhere in Asha's side, a searing pain erupting all over her right side. She released her stranglehold on Oberyn, to which the Red Viper slapped Asha in the face and assumed control. He shoved her away from him. Fluffy white snow choked the air, roused by the commotion. Oberyn grabbed the nearest weapon, the machete, but Asha was faster.

  
She scooped up his spear. Holding it like a baseball, Asha struck down on Oberyn's head. Splintered wood exploded all around upon impact. Oberyn fell into the snow, several cuts opening up on his forehead. Asha threw the remainder of the stick away. The skin on her left side was swollen and red. She definitely had a broken rib.

  
"You're one tough bitch." Oberyn croaked, coughing up blood.

  
"Fuck you, snake," Asha retorted, her heavy breathing creating swirling clouds in the frigid air. "Just die already."

  
Oberyn laughed, a strangled sound. "I can't die, cunt, i'm the fucking Red Viper! I still have to kill Ned Stark. I still have to kill Snow!"

  
"Face it, your game is over. You'll never have your precious revenge against Ned. You dumb fuck, why did you even join him in the first place?"

  
"Unlike you, I still have family that I care about." Oberyn spat.

  
One hand still holding her side, Asha found her sheath of arrows and selected a sharp one. She stumbled toward Oberyn, who wasn't even looking at her anymore. His face was turned toward the sky.

  
"Admitting defeat, snake?" Asha grabbed her bow. Slowly, she loaded the arrow like she had done countless times before. She stepped closer, each footfall sending a fresh wave of pain to her side. Oberyn's breathing was ragged and irregular--it was over.

  
Asha drew her bow, aimed it at Oberyn's head. She was practically right on top of him. She let out a shaky breath, closed her eyes...

  
Oberyn sprang to his feet, machete in hand. The sneaky snake had been faking submission. As he swung with the machete, Asha let her arrow fly...

 _Boom_.

  
** Tormund **

  
"I cannot thank you enough for this."

  
"It's my pleasure, friend. Anything to spite that snake of a president we have." Bronn smiled that the giant of a man. "Please, have yourselves something to eat. You three must be famished."

  
Arya and Sansa ran for the kitchen, while the two men sat down in the den to talk business.

  
"How long are you willing to give us safe harbor?" Tormund tried not to sound desperate, but he knew that going back out into the open would be certain doom. Coming from somebody who had survived in the rural north for most of his life, Tormund was terrified of those Peacekeepers. _There were so damn many of them._

  
"As long as you need. Anything for Ned's daughters." Bronn leaned in close, "Listen, what exactly is your plan, now that everybody in charge is, you know, dead."

  
"Ned still lives." Tormund reminded him. "Caught a glimpse of him on a screen earlier. Those sick Games are almost at an end, from what I understand."

  
"Which means Ned Stark is as good as dead. We need to plan ahead, figure out how to keep this operation going. Every single district is once again back under the Capitol's control, so from this point on, we have to keep this top secret."

  
"How? All of the leadership is taken out of the picture."

  
"I have ways to reach out to certain people. We can't touch Selyse Baratheon or the Greyjoys, not for a long time. The Capitol will surely have a close eye trained on them. I might be able to slip a message to Oberyn's daughters, if they are willing to cooperate. But, I need to know that you're in on this. Are you in it for the long haul, Tormund?"

  
Tormund glanced at the two little girls he fought like hell to protect.

  
"Always."

  
Next time: The epic conclusion to the first ever Hunger Games! There will be death, betrayal, suspense, and somehow, a Victor will rise from the ashes! Only two chapters left, so anything can happen!   
~TheChuckles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end is near! Only two chapters remain!! Who will emerge as Victor?


	19. Creatures of the Forest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The wolves, the lion, the kraken, the viper, the dragon and the wildling fight to the death as the first ever Hunger Games comes to a violent close.

***All-knowing narrator***

  
The canon shot silenced the five tributes running for their lives.

  
Ragged breathing and hurried footsteps and throaty growls from wolves died as the realization that the end was beginning sunk into their minds.

  
Ned and Catelyn didn't dwell on the stagnant moment longer than absolutely required. Both were out of breath and bloody, battered by relentless attacks from all sorts of creatures of the forest. The journey from their makeshift camp had been a hellish one. Wolves and bears. Stags and foxes. The once quiet forest was now teeming with life.

  
Ygritte smiled at the thought of another player eliminated. She hoped it was one of the real contenders. Jaime, Ned, Asha, maybe even the Red Viper. That would play perfectly into her plan.

  
Jaime and Dany took several minutes to rest. It seemed as if the attacks had abated. At least for the time being, they were safe.

  
Broken and battered, Oberyn Martell stood over Asha Greyjoy's body. Blood oozed from a gash on his forehead, and his knee was shattered, but he had emerged victorious. _I'm the fucking Red Viper. Nothing can kill me._

  
Not a second later, he collapsed.

  
A claw reached out from the sky and scooped up his body, as were five other claws as they snatched the remaining tributes and transported them to the final playing field. A wide open space, larger than the field around the Cornucopia. Steep hills surrounded a pristine valley. Dotted around the vast area were six huts, arranged in a wide circle thirty feet between each one.

  
The claws dropped each tribute off in their own hut, where a team of Capitol doctors fixed each tribute. Oberyn's knee, and his other serious injuries, were wiped away with magical science. Catelyn's burns were cleared from her body. Each tribute was washed and cleaned up as if they were to dine with the President himself.

  
Speaking of, President Snow was waiting underneath the arena. He sat on a glorious throne, engraved with rubies and diamonds. The ground above split in two as the throne rose to prominence. Once it finally cleared the ground, it stood twenty five feet tall. It appeared as a pyramid: silver stairs on all sides, with the throne in the middle. That way, Snow was able to swivel and watch all of the action as it unfolded around him. After all, he was sitting in the middle of the battleground.

  
After one hour of care, the six tributes were forced out of the huts, which in turn disappeared into the snow. Snow addressed the rebels with a victorious tone.

  
"The six of you chose to rise up against your Capitol, your government, your president. This trial has served as penance for your crimes, but the end is now in sight. As merciful as I am, I will allow one, or possibly two of you, to leave this arena alive. Let it be known that the mere fact that I allow a victor demonstrates my generosity, and to those that still dream of rebellion, how cruel I can be.

  
"Now, here is how this will work. The six of you will fight to the death, right here, right now, until only one remains. Remember, tributes with the same last name can become co-Victors if they are the last remaining." Snow shot a smirk towards Ned and Catelyn. At that very moment, a cage materialized out of the sky. Inside were the remaining hostages: Bran and Rickon, the Sand Snakes, and the Lannisters.

  
"At any moment, if I chose to do so, I will release one of my hostages onto the battlefield. They will become eligible tributes, and all the rules of the Games will apply to them. Now, shall we begin?"

  
Beside each tribute, a rack with their weapon of choice appeared. Ygritte was the first to strike, ripping her knife from the metal grate and sprinting toward Ned Stark. Ned got his sword up to block her strike in the nick of time. Having the bigger blade, he went on the offensive.

  
Oberyn smiled as he sought out Jaime Lannister with his spear. The two warriors sized each other up before engaging in combat. Oberyn glided like a soaring bird, twirling around Jaime, his spear trying to find a weak spot in Jaime's defense. He found one as he sunk his spear into Jaime's lower back. As Oberyn attempted to pull out, Jaime swung his sword around and cut Oberyn's shoulder deep.

  
Daenerys, meanwhile, went on the offensive and jumped onto Oberyn's back. She sank her knife into his back. Oberyn saw red. He grabbed Dany roughly by her hair and flung her at Jaime's sword. Jaime wasn't able to pull away in time, but Dany only suffered a cut along her right leg.

  
Meanwhile, President Snow glared at Catelyn.

  
"Mrs. Stark, if you don't get involved in the next minute, i'll drop one of your sons down here."

  
"Fuck. You." Catelyn spat in Snow's direction. However, he hesitantly worked her way towards Ned and Ygritte. Ned swung down with his sword, sending Ygritte scurrying in the snow. A bow and arrow rose up from the ground next to Ygritte. Ned's eyes grew wide as he realized his advantage was gone. Ygritte scooped up the bow, loaded an arrow, and shot Ned in the thigh.

  
As she reloaded, Catelyn jumped out from the left and kicked the weapon out of her hands. Cat drove down with her knife, but Ygritte kept dodging her blows. Ned regrouped long enough to pick up his sword. Ygritte sliced Cat's chest deep enough to puncture her right lung. She shoved her aside and stretched out her hand for her bow.

  
Ned sliced Ygritte's hand clean off, before hacking her head off of her shoulders.

  
Jaime advanced on Oberyn, swinging his sword wildly. Oberyn kept retreating, waiting, watching, _yearning_ for his moment to strike. The hot gush of blood flowing down his back was only a minor wound, but the cut on his shoulder was starting to slow him down. With each beat of his heart, he felt a painful pulse in his shoulder.

  
"Fight me, you coward!" Jaime growled. Oberyn finally hit a invisible barrier near the edge of the opening. It jolted him forward slightly, which gave the Red Viper an idea.

  
Oberyn spat red into the snow. "What are you waiting for, Jaime? I'm right here."

  
Jaime rushed Oberyn, but realized he was falling into a trap too late. The Red Viper charged, but halfway into his run, sprinted back towards the forcefield. He kicked off of the invisible wall, propelling him back at Jaime with lightning speed. He held fast as his spear punctured Jaime through the stomach and poked out through his back.

  
"Die, bitch." Oberyn smirked as he yanked the spear out of Jaime. He fell into the snow, clutching his abdomen in shock. Soon he was surrounded in a pool of blood. As he lay dying, Oberyn turned his attention to Ned Stark.

  
"Excellent!" President Snow announced. "Fight!"

  
Without wiping Jaime's blood off of his spear, Oberyn launched a vicious attack on Ned. Ned was immediately put on the offensive as he could hardly keep up with the Red Viper's fluid movements. Meanwhile, Catelyn lay gasping for air in short spasms twenty feet from where her husband was fighting.

  
Ned rolled under a spear strike and slid his sword along Oberyn's left leg, making certain he cut long and deep. As he recovered, Oberyn struck Ned with a forceful blow to the head with the butt of his spear. Ned Stark saw stars and heard ringing in his ears.

  
Daenerys watched as two of her role models fought to the death. She decided she was rooting for Ned, but what happened if he won? As she pondered this, she heard Catelyn coughing. Mrs. Stark was a crumpled mess, completely defenseless...

  
_I can't_ , Dany told herself, fighting back tears.

  
_But I must._

  
Dany crept up on Catelyn, which didn't require much stealth, considering the fact that she was too busy struggling to breath. Once she reached her, Dany knelt before the woman she almost considered her mom, knife hidden behind her back.

  
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Stark, I love you."

  
Daenerys looked away as she dragged the knife across Catelyn's throat. Coughing turned to gurgling turned to silence.

  
President Snow laughed, a cackling howl that tore Oberyn and Ned away from their heated battle. Ned's eyes went wide when he saw Dany standing over the body of his wife, bloody knife and remorseful look. Oberyn, even, was taken aback by such an action.

  
"That has got to be the funniest thing i've ever seen!" President Snow couldn't contain himself. On the contrary, Ned Stark lost control. He turned to Oberyn while he was still taken aback and launched a series of anialistic strikes. Oberyn, who was slowed by his injured leg, found it difficult to fight back.

  
Ned pushed Oberyn back so far that he ran into the forcefield again. Cornered and defeated, Oberyn could do nothing but absorb all of the blows as Ned punched and kicked his body against the invisible wall.

  
"You made me do this!" Ned screamed, bashing Oberyn's head so hard that blood was smearing on the forcefield. "You, it was always you!" Oberyn dropped his spear as he lost consciousness. It was several minutes later when Ned was finished, when Oberyn's head was just a stain suspended in air.

  
He turned to Daenerys, bloodlust pounding through every fiber of his being. He made for his adopted daughter, heavy footfalls disturbing the bloody. His heart pounded so loud it was all he could hear, a war drum that he would murder to the beat of.

  
"Ned please!" Dany cried. She backed away from his rapid approach. Dany tripped over something, but she was so terrified she continued to back up on her hands and knees. Seconds later, Ned stepped over Ygritte's decapitated body in his pursuit. He was so close, so painfully close to extracting his vengeance.

  
Daenerys stubbed her hand against a metal object, which halted her movement. It was the massive throne President Snow was perched on, the bottom stair. Ned was too close to run anywhere else, so Dany began to climb the pyramid. Halfway up the cold metal stairs, a forcefield cut her off from climbing any higher.

  
"No!" She pounded on the barrier with all her remaining strength. That is, until Ned yanked her away with a fistful of hair. He smashed her head into the steps twice and threw her into the invisible forcefield. Dany was on the brink of losing consciousness, but she knew if she passed out, she would never wake up.

  
Crumpled on the steps, she waited until Ned reached for her again. When he did, she grabbed his hand and drove the point of her knife between his middle and forefinger into his hand. Dany ripped the blade out and attempted to stab Ned's chest. To no avail, however, as Ned batted her hand away and grabbed the knife. He hoisted Daenerys Targaryen by the hair, lifting her off of her feet.

  
"Is this what you want?" Ned screamed at President Snow. "You want me to murder her?"

  
"Yes, please!" Snow leaned forward, anxious to see the end of the Targaryen line. "I know you have it in you Ned! Unlock that rage, let it flow through you! Let it consume you!"

  
Time slowed down. Ned stared at the old lunatic preaching bloodlust, and then at Daenerys. A large purple bruise was already forming on her forehead, but the look on her face was what Ned noticed.

  
Absolute terror.

  
The bloodlust in Ned evaporated.

  
"This is what you want, right?" Ned asked, holding the knife at Dany's throat. He spoke in a chillingly calm manor. "You want me to win the Games?"

  
"Do it, Ned! Prove that you are still loyal to the Capitol!"

  
Ned stared directly into Snow's eyes as the President realized what was about to happen. In that millisecond, he relished the look of fear on Snow's face.

  
"Fuck what you want."

  
Ned brought the knife to his own throat and gave himself a red smile. He released Daenerys, smiled towards her one last time, and tumbled down the stairs. By the time he reached the bottom, he was dead.

  
Next Time: The aftermath of the first Hunger Games, and what that means for Daenerys Targaryen and the rebellion.   
~TheChuckles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this has been an adventure! Stay tuned for the last chapter! :D #TheNorthRemembers  
> ~TheChuckles


	20. Poisoned Roses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daenerys realizes that winning the Hunger Games hasn't ended her struggle against President Snow, while Tormund and the rebellion plan their next move.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this is it! Over a year after I first had the idea, i'm wrapping up A Song of Hunger and Thrones! Fear not, however, because I am indeed planning the sequel!   
> ~TheChuckles

**Dany**

  
_So, this is what it feels like to be warm again._

  
Daenerys woke up in a hospital bed, with at least five different machines hooked up to different parts of her body. As much as she was trying not to panic, she was deathly afraid of needles. She came to the conclusion that she would rather face needles than the hell she just survived.

  
It felt like it had been days since she had been awake. Dany lifted her head to inspect her body, but a slight motion like that sent tidal waves crashing against her temples. Although only dressed in a standard issue hospital gown, she felt toasty warm. _Anything was better than the endless snow in that arena_.

  
A door opened, and in came President Snow himself. He was dressed plainly, only in a shiny white dress shirt and maroon pants. Besides that, he wore a scowl with his crueler than usual beady snake eyes.

  
"Do you feel like a winner?" He asked, sourly.

  
Dany didn't have the strength to be witty. "Not really."

  
"You know, this was the last outcome I expected," The President sat down in a chair, leaning closer to Dany. "I made sure to throw some of the most experienced killers in this country in that damn arena with you and your fucking brother, and look who is the last one standing."

  
"You're just as suprised as me, Snow." Dany commented. She was now able to raise her head without becoming dizzy.

  
"I must imagine that seeing your brother, and everybody else that you cared about be slaughtered must be traumatizing, but you were supposed to be one of them, my dear. I should have just had those wolves rip you apart on the first day. I don't know what I was thinking."

  
Dany scoffed. "Probably about the ratings."

  
That earned a venomous smile from the President.

  
"You're probably right. Listen, Daenerys, we both know I want you dead. But, you've stumbled your way into surviving against all odds. Do you see the conundrum i'm in? What am I to do with you?"

  
Dany was silent.

  
"I could always have you killed, but that would make the Capitol look bad, and we certainly don't need another Ned Stark to arise from the ashes. At the same time, I could make you one of the Capitol elite, but then it would all go to your head and you'd end up being a threat."

  
"You promised riches, right?"

  
President Snow laughed concededly. "That's the spirit! You actually do care about what happens next. Well, I have come up with the perfect answer: When you come of age, you shall marry Brandon Stark and live in District 12 until you rot away and die, the end of your line."

  
"What if we have children?" Daenerys began thinking of her future, whether or not she could stand living with the boy whose mother she killed. "They would still be of my blood."

  
"But, legally, they would be Starks, and not Targaryens. Oh, and don't think these little Games i've started are going to end anytime soon. They're quite enjoyable, and who is to say any potential children you two have won't be reaped into my Game? No, your offspring will be the mayors of a District far away from me. Does that sound rich enough for you?"

  
"You are a monster." Daenerys said, mustering as much venom as she could.

"Aren't we all?" The President answered.

  
It was a full week later before Daenerys was released from the hospital. She was shipped back to District 12 on a train full of security. But hey, at least they had wickedly good chefs on board. Dany feasted on dishes she couldn't even pronounce the names of until she found herself throwing it all back up in the middle of the night.

  
Her arrival to District 12 was very discreet. She was taken to the Stark mansion in the black of night. The next morning, as she ate breakfast in her room she watched as the whole country was talking about her. None of the Capitol TV news anchors dared mention anything about the real politics behind her betrothal to Bran, but of how generous Snow was.

  
Later that morning, she was dragged to a meeting about how the governing of District 12 would unfold. Bran sat two chairs away from her, but she could still feel his heartbreak. She also felt the ice beginning to form between the two of them. Dany didn't blame him, but couldn't help but feel angry that he was giving her the cold shoulder when she was the one forced to fight to the death.

  
Bran would become governor when he turned 20, which was in 12 years. In that time, a council of 12's leaders would make sure everything stayed together. They would make certain to include Dany and Bran in all of the governing decisions, to give them experience.

  
The first matter to be attended was the aftermath of a mining explosion, where there were no survivors.

  
_Let my hell begin._

  
**Tormund**

  
"Will she understand?" Bronn asked.

  
Tormund folded the piece of paper up small, hiding the dragon with _We Remember_ written underneath.

  
"She might not at first, but we have friends in 12 that will make sure Daenerys and Brandon will be in the loop."

  
"This is going to be the longest mission of my life." Bronn commented. "I better get payed well."

  
"If all plays out well, twelve years from now you might be mayor of some district somewhere."

  
"I don't like to think big picture, because it's never guaranteed. The gold I have in my house is, however. There are so many variables in this plan that might change, and then it all crumbles and we end up dead or worse."

  
"Listen, friend, this is the part where we have to be patient. You work Selyse, get her on our side. I will train Arya and Sansa with the remnants of the Night's Watch, the Sand Snakes will begin gathering strength in the south. We might even think to approach Tywin Lannister, he definitely has no love for the President."

  
Bronn shook his head. "I'll just go inside and dream about all of my gold, twelve years from now."

  
Tormund shook Bronn's hand. "Good luck. We'll be in touch."

  
**Epilogue**

  
_Dearest Selyse,_

  
_I know it has been five years since my exile, but they have been filled with many a journey and adventure! Who would have ever thought that there was more to the world than that stinking pile of districts?_

  
_The jungles here teem with game, the fruit is fresh, and there are even natives living here! Finally, a race of people who aren't brainwashed by that corrupt Snow._

  
_Listen, I know you won't have anyway to write back, since by the time you receive this I could be on another continent or dead, but I want you to know that I miss all of you dearly. Even Stannis, that uptight fucker, I miss him. I hope to gather enough strength and come back one day._

  
_Don't hold me on that. I may be just a little bit drunk. They have excellent ale on the other side of the world._

  
_Robert Baratheon_

"Oh my god." Selyse whispered.

  
"What?" Shireen attempted to peer at the letter. Selyse yanked it away from her sight.

  
"Nothing, dear. Just some news from a place very far away."

  
_Maybe there is hope._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, about this sequel. A Dragon in The Snow should be debuting sometime later this month, if I decide not to procrastinate long enough to write the first chapter! Experience Dany and the Rebellion as they put together their plan to tear down President Snow! Stay classy.   
> ~TheChuckles


End file.
